Blood Lust
by KissMyWinterEyes
Summary: Anna's job is to aid Van Helsing in killing the notorious, seductive vampire Count Dracula. But when unwanted feelings of desire, lust, love for the wrong person come into play, and Van Helsing abandons her, can Anna control who she really is? *AnnaXDrac*
1. My Embarrassment

**OK first fanfic here so be niceee. Just to let you know this is part of van helsing where Van helsing kills Marishka, but Anna now starts to have feelings for him now. Nothing inappropriate here, but stay my dearies for the next chapter is full of all kinds of sexual funfun ;) Please R&R so i can keep this going. Lotsa love, Karen**

She watched him in awe as he took aim with his crossbow; one hazel eye shut tight, the other shining in concentration. His arms raised, he tilted the deadly device and shot a pointed arrow, dripping in holy water, towards the blonde vampire. The edge pierced her empty chest, just above where her heart should have been, and the bride writhed in pain, shrieking to her master. The vampire, once a vision of beauty, with long golden locks brushing her face and startlingly gorgeous yellow eyes, slowly lost control of herself. Her perfect peach skin started to melt away, revealing rough bone and a waterfall of blood. Her hair burned to smoky ashes, and her long fingernails scratched at her face. The blessed water had an effect of poison running through the young monster's veins, like fire coursing through her bloodstream, white-hot wires wrapping themselves around her slim frame. She threw her head back and let out a high-pitched screech that showed her dagger-sharp fangs and echoed throughout the empty streets of Transylvania, and then her bones cracked, turned to dust, and she was gone. The fine powder of her bones floated across the sky, reaching the gray blanket of clouds that were pressing against the small town and holding the remains of her scream in the market square.

Van Helsing turned now to face Anna, who was still staring at him in shock, not to mention admiration. She had never seen anyone kill a vampire that fast before; the way he struck with so much ease, carelessly, almost lazily, yet still fiercely. The corner of his lips raised in a slight smile when he saw the look on her face. His shoulder-length soft brown hair, now a tangle of dirt and snow, still managed to fall back into place as he tossed his head victoriously in the direction of the townspeople now emerging from their safe haven, the church. The steep chapel, bearing its strong iron crosses and faded stain-glass windows, was the only refuge from the creatures of the night that came at least once a month to feed, blood pouring from their devilishly grinning mouths as they caught a straggler and sunk their teeth into his yielding flesh.

Van Helsing turned again, this time to face his assistant and friend, Carl, a friar that had reluctantly accompanied him on this journey. Carl smiled nervously to the monster slayer, but his light, innocent eyes strayed instead to the sky, probably searching for more vampires. Anna could see Van Helsing laughed inwardly at his friend's lack of self-confidence when they both knew that Carl could easily kill an army of demons with one of his ingenious inventions, such as the crossbow that had saved their mortal lives just now. Well, mortal for myself and Carl, she thought. _What has happened in Van Helsing's secretive past? He has been put in this cruel world by the Vatican to do the detestable task of wiping monsters such as these from the face of the earth, _she thought, _and has been doing it for as long as he can remember back. How could one go on living such a difficult life without knowing how or when he got there?_ She placed her chocolate brown eyes on the man she so frequently thought about, and blushed when he locked his eyes back on hers. He gazed at her thoughtfully, taking in her features, noting her glazed expression and slight frown. _It's like he can see through me, and knows that I've been thinking of him…_she speculated.

Coming back to reality, Anna walked swiftly over to Van Helsing, her dark brown curls bouncing on her back as she stepped closer. She watched him observe her closely as she crossed the snow-carpeted ground. She suddenly felt embarrassed under his glance, which was not in her nature. She thought of herself as a confident, capable woman who never succumbed to the likes of a mere man. And it was not as though she had a reason to feel embarrassed- she had been told many times by many men that she was beautiful. With her medium-length curly chocolate brown hair framing her face and eyes to match, snowy white skin, and a slender but sturdy body, Anna could possibly see, but never bring herself to admit, that she was, in fact, _sexy. _ She grew more embarrassed yet as she thought this and her cheeks flushed to a rosy hue. She looked up to Van Helsing to see if he had noticed this change in character. His unique eyes, a mixture of moss green and brown, were difficult to read. She hoped he hadn't given it a second thought, but then he turned to look at her more curiously, and she knew he had seen her display of femininity.

As she reached him, Anna didn't dare to go closer to him than she felt was necessary. She was, however, close enough to reach out a tentative hand and brush his rough, tanned cheek with the tips of her long fingers … Whoa, how could she be thinking this? The mere thought of it created a warm, burning sensation in the pit of her stomach that flooded throughout her body, heating her being and igniting the color in her face and over her chest once again. What had brought over this new wave of feelings for the man she knew she simply couldn't have?


	2. My Fanstasy

**OK fair warning sexual content in this chapter i mean more than the average feeling-her-up sorta thing ;). Sorry its really short but I did this at 2 in the morning and also what it lacks in size, it gains in content (if you know what i mean wink wink) Hope you enjoy, please R&R because i love your opinions- and constructive criticism- very much my dears. Lotsa love, Karen**

The flames danced around her, filling Anna with the same heat she had felt earlier that day as she approached the solid, rugged man that now filled her with so much confusion. _What had changed?_ she thought, while sleep gradually threatened to take over her subconscious, eyelids drooping precariously and long lashes brushing her lower eyelids. The heat of the fire, along with the eerie yet relaxing velvety darkness of night in Romania, was making it harder and harder for Anna to focus, dizzily trying to understand her feelings. Yes, ever since she had met him he had had a soft spot in her heart, but now that spot had become a hole, ripping her heart open at the seams and causing her intense pleasure and pain. She knew she could not have him, and yet her stubborn heart insisted on battling her quick, thoughtful mind. And even when she turned to her sensible head, he was there too. Anna couldn't escape from the deep pool of her mind, sucking her in like a rip tide, out farther and farther as she became lost in her own improper fantasies…The chiseled chest, muscles tight under her hands, a tongue seeking entry into her mouth, then slowly down the rest of her body, tasting her lips, across the dip between her soft breasts, over her small stomach, finally stopping just above her center. The sultry wetness dripped slowly between her legs as he slid his worn, rough hand up her trembling calves, tickling the back of her knee, and stopped midway up her thigh. Rather than continue up, he slipped his hands out of sight, causing her great distress. She let out a moan of contempt, only to be replaced by one of surprise. He was scratching her back lightly with his fingernails, tickling her in a way that caused the pleasurable heat of her sex to multiply until she could stand it no longer, arching the small of her fair-skinned back. His lips now playing on her lower stomach as a distraction, the ghost of a hand returned slyly on the inside of her legs, finally, finally skimming up to her inexperienced center. He worked a course, skilled finger through her folds until he just slightly let himself penetrate her warm, smooth insides. He pulled his fingertip out painfully slow, and then, equally as slowly, slid the finger back into her gently, curving slightly and causing her to shoot her frail hips up and scream out his name…

"Van Helsing …No!" Sweat poured from Anna as she woke from her disturbingly pleasurable slumber, shivers traveling up her spine from just the dream alone, a cold contrast to the fiery wetness between her legs.


	3. My Fight

**Ok back my dears and sorry it took so long. But I am very proud of this chapter- all full of emotion and unexpected twists. But I really do want to start getting some reviews from my readers, whether they are compliments or constructive criticism- all are welcome. Enjoy! Lotsa love, Karen.**

The remnants of the last night's fire was no more than a pile of ashes, soon scattered by the wind, whispering through the air like black snow. One stray flake twirled seductively in the forest air, perching itself upon Anna's smooth cheek. Startled awake, she reached up and smudged the ash, leaving a dark streak in her pale skin; a black spot to serve as a physical reminder of her blackened thoughts the previous night.

Anna gazed around thoughtfully as she raised her small frame up off the packed earth. She had no idea where Van Helsing had gotten to. He was always so mysterious in the mornings. As she turned, she saw Carl dozing peacefully a few yards away, a silver cross clutched close to his chest. She rolled her eyes at him, chocolate brown orbs suspended in a pool of concentration and thought. She couldn't understand how he could be so afraid; she had never been one to succumb to fear easily. However, it isn't exactly easy to be carefree when hunting vampires, as they had been doing themselves now for over a week. _Especially when it comes to _him_, _Anna thought carefully. She never knew how, but the cryptic tales from her family spoke of the Father of the Undead being able to read your mind. She didn't believe it for a moment, him having a superpower at least. _Some people are just easy to read. _However, she didn't like to think of her flesh and blood being simple-minded. They too had been searching for the monster behind the cape for almost a century, resisting to defeat despite all the deaths they had to bear with. They refused to stop hunting the vampire lord until he was sent into eternal damnation, the fiery pits of Hell itself, the flames licking at his icy pale skin, melting the bones that flesh hung to. _Some people also just have a knack for knowing others, despite how fleeting the meeting. Van Helsing was like that…_ she shuddered, a breath escaping her as she thought of comparing her dear, brave, human companion to… "Count Dracula," Anna whispered as she heard a rustle from the forest, the ferns and vines reaching towards her as something approached her with a determined step. Anna unsheathed her blade quietly and prepared to pounce stealthily on the oncoming visitor.

"FUCK! DAMMIT, ANNA!" Van Helsing swore loudly as he staggered away from the point of Anna's sword, directly between his eyes, the tip softly nudging the rough skin on the bridge of his nose. Caught off guard, Anna stepped backed and lowered her sword, a red flush coming over her face and breasts once again. Her once-confident eyes dropped to the ground, silently observing her black, tight-laced boots and biting her rosy bottom lip. Warm, luscious blood dripped into her mouth from her lip, and she turned on her heel quickly. A firm but gentle hand on her shoulder made Anna whip around, embarrassed yet again due to the stare of this man. Van Helsing wrapped his glove-like hand over Anna's thin wrist and pulled her along back into the beckoning woods, less menacing now that the deep clouds of night were drifting and the sun was trying to rip itself over the shaking treetops; the eerie blood-red glow that the sunrise cast, however, was not improving everyone's tense mood about the vampires that were sure to be close by.

Van Helsing led the dazed Anna to the spot he must have located earlier. He sat in the exact same spot, resting in the flattened patch of grass that overlooked a gap in the trees, the forest floor dropping in a steep hill devoid of life, just jagged rocks and a few weeds stretching out their arms, trying to pull an unsuspecting wanderer down below the surface with them. Above the tips of the evergreens and pines at the base of the hill, a meadow of sky stretched for miles, a hint of the rising sun pouring light over the gray sea of woods. Van Helsing dragged his legs lazily across the dirt ground, leaving a space for Anna to sit adjacent to him. She lowered down next to him, feeling the cold earth brush against her, through her thin black pants as she crossed her longs legs. Not knowing if she should speak, she kept her lips tight in a fine line, tracing a crack in the forest floor meticulously. A strong grip crushed her fingers impatiently, then slowly Van Helsing intertwined his fingers with her own. Anna looked up, startled, her dream flooding back to her in a wave of heat, on her face and in between her legs. He gazed at her, studying her expression, trying to read those troubled eyes, understand that trembling jaw.

"I'm sorry," they both mumbled in the same second, then stopped quickly.

"Why are you sorry?" Anna demanded, confused. She was the one who almost took one of his moss-colored eyes out in her insanity to kill Dracula.

"Well, first because of my reaction. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. I know we're all on high alert after one of Dracula's brides showed up like that… Anyway, I was just kind of…"

"Surprised?" Anna offered, her red lips curling up in a grin.

"Exactly," he said. "And I've also had a lot on my mind recently. I mean, I know why you are so dedicated to finding Dracula and destroying him. I have a lot of respect for you, being so loyal to your family and their wishes. I also know that the fate of your life after death rests on killing him, too. But my story behind this is slightly different than yours. And no, it's not just the fact that I've been entrusted with the power to slay monsters by the Vatican."

Anna looked at him quizzically, and he let out a sigh in defeat, crumbling under the piercing stare of her liquid sepia eyes. He had grown so fond of Anna for the past couple weeks, and he felt as though he could keep nothing from her.

"I…used to be in love, Anna. Did I tell you that?"

"No," she whispered breathlessly. _What was he saying?_

"Yeah, I know it's not easy to picture. Me- rough, lonely Van Helsing- being in love. And actually being loved back." She could see that this was hard for him, as his eyes narrowed and his fingers tightened around hers. She winced, and he removed them, instead placing them on her curved jaw line. He took a short breath, and continued. "Her name was Fatima, and she was…beautiful. There's no other way to describe her. Silky, straight black hair that caressed her lower back, knowing blue eyes that sparkled whenever she had an idea, her soft face curving up when she smiled. She was so breathtaking, and she picked me. We fought together, you see. I didn't want to put her in that danger, but she was stubborn. Much like you, Anna. Anyway, I had rescued her from a werewolf attack on her town. There was so much blood when I got there, I thought there could be no survivors, but I was wrong, and found Fatima lying under a destroyed house. I nursed her back to health, and we fell in love." He had a vacant expression, thinking about the past, his eyes glazed over. "But all good things must come to an end, right?" he whispered bitterly. "I was not the only one who though Fatima to be a vision of beauty. She was taken three years ago, by the very man-no, beast-we seek today, to be his bride. Well, one of his brides, anyway. I always vowed that I would find her, Anna," Van Helsing said, finally acknowledging Anna's presence again, his eyes shining dejectedly. She could see that he could not continue, and reached up to stroke his hair soothingly, despite her own desolate feelings. With a growl, he jumped back and grabbed her hand, crushing it with his own painfully. Anna cried out, but he did not loosen his vice grip.

"Damn it, don't you understand? I'm in pain right now, and you can't comfort me. This isn't for you! I honestly do care for you, Anna, I love you, but if I had to choose between saving you or Fatima in the final battle with Dracula, I would have to leave you in a heartbeat to rescue her, for me! You don't matter right now, and neither does your family, as much as myself. I've always put myself first, and I've gotten along fine. You've been doomed from the start! This voyage is for me!" Van Helsing snapped at her, tears now streaming down her pale cheeks. She tried to pull away, but he whipped her back into him. She slammed into his hard chest, her breasts pressing into him, only lighting the fire between her legs again, the wetness ignoring her heart. It felt as though it was being wrapped with barbed wire, the spikes ripping gashes, carving valleys into her bleeding heart. She had fallen out of love with him, she knew she couldn't have him now more than ever, but her powerful attraction to him did not dwindle with the sharp ache in her chest.

"Let me go!" Anna said through clenched teeth, before forcefully stomping on Van Helsing's foot and elbowing him sharply in the stomach. He let go and glared at her in indignation.

"I was only trying to be truthful, Anna, to warn you! You deserve to know."

"You have no idea how I feel! You don't know what I've been going through the past couple days. I am not sure how I've been feeling myself, and now this? I think I was falling in love with you; I couldn't look at you without blushing, and getting confused the very next moment. Now you tell me you love me, too, although not the way I think I might have felt about you, and then you rip me to pieces! I can understand if you don't feel the same way about me, and if you still love her, but this mission was meant for us, and I have my own life to think about! I don't care if you choose her over me, but don't you dare say my family is doomed! I had no trouble with that bloodsucking son of a bitch before you showed up! If you want me to, I can do this myself!" Anna finished breathlessly, her voice echoing throughout the woods and bringing the forest alive again.

Van Helsing had stayed silent through this speech, his face changing from shock to sorrow. He blinked slowly, and then said tentatively, "Anna, I'm sorry. I…I didn't know. I think I do love you, too- yes, like that- but you must understand that I can't forget Fatima. She was my first love, and she was stolen from me. I didn't really mean all of what I said, but I do have to focus on myself more for once. My main job is to aid you in defeating Dracula, but my main goal is to get revenge and save my love."

"I understand, Van Helsing. And I know that even though you may feel the same, too, we can't be together. And honestly, I'm not as upset about that as I thought I would be. I'm hurt, yes, but…I'll heal. It's just, I can't accept the rest of what you said, true or not."

"Anna." He started towards her, but she drew her sword and he stopped, eyeing the blade glinting in the sunlight now pooling directly onto them, creating a stage for their own personal performance.

"Please, Van Helsing, I just…need to be alone right now. I can't face anymore of this at the moment. I need to take a walk, gather my thoughts, you know?" He nodded solemnly, watching with a vague expression as she etched a line in the dirt, dividing the area in half. "I'll be back to the campsite before nightfall, and I'd appreciate it if we could skip the traveling and stay here for one more day." It was not a question, and he knew it, answering with another somber nod.

The ground crunched under her as she turned and marched away from him, exhaling deeply and shutting her eyes tightly. Her footsteps and the soft whisper of the wind were the only sounds to be heard in the woods as she walked, in no particular direction, away from the scene. She didn't like when she felt like he had control- she was not to be someone's marionette puppet, dancing on a string for them, her fate in their hands. Just as she was about to disappear into the safe cover of the trees, she felt a tugging at her upper arm that made her spin around dizzily, her feet tripping out from under her as she landed in someone's strong, capable arms. She took a deep breath of the scent coming off of his overcoat, and her chin lifted under the light touch of his fingers. "Anna, please be careful," Van Helsing breathed in her face. "I don't think I'd be able to stand it if I lost you, too."


	4. My Stranger

**Ok back my dears after a bad case of writers block but here it is. I really would love some reviews, and am thinking of not publishing more chapters if i don't get a few. We'll see, but please, it only takes a second! PS the song in the beginning is The Mating Game by Bitter:Sweet Lotsa love, Karen**

"_Dance with me across the ocean floor,_

_Sail away to Heaven's open doors,_

_Step right up you're the next contestant,_

_In this week's charade…"_

Anna's ruby-red lips parted to reveal the old melody she had learned as a young girl from her mother, before her dying breath whisked her away, leaving Anna only to her now-dead father, now-missing brother, and this very song.

"_Take a number,_

_Wait while I twist your fate…"_

The young woman shuddered and sharply inhaled as she thought she could hear a trace of the next line in the song being sighed in the shadowy confines of the timber. Shaking her head in disconcertion, dark locks playing lightly around her face as she did so, Anna realized that no one could be there. The forest was playing tricks on her fragile mind again. Van Helsing knew to stay away for the time being, as did she know to keep from him. After their blowup in the morning, there was no need to provoke tender feelings anymore in one lone day. There was also a silent understanding of each other, and that the passion, lust, love or whatever they had for each other could not last. _Devotion fades, love is fleeting, _Anna thought halfheartedly. At this point she no longer cared about that, but rather Van Helsing's adverse reaction. So in short, there could be no way he would spy on her, regardless of his concern for her safety. _And Carl must be with him, so who _was_ that crooning in the cover of the wilderness?_

Anna, giving up on thoughts of her potential stalker, instead rested her heavy head back on the flat ground and exhaled softly, lost in her thoughts. Her head was filled with swirling ideas, and she found it difficult to focus on one single thing, so she gave up trying to concentrate and instead devoted herself to remaining conscious. It was so tiring, trying to sift through your mind when you felt so dead inside. Anna's eyelids fluttered as she decided that perhaps sleep would be best for her now. The lull of her mind and emotions pulled her closer to that deep abyss of slumber. _What could it hurt_, she thought dispiritedly. _It would be a nice reprieve from this Hell…_

Her eyes snapped open at the first uneasy feeling she got, lying on the grass, alert but immobile. Anna didn't let out a single breath. She could have sworn she saw something, through the fog of her subconscious. A black shadow crossing the path of the dull light leaking through her eyelids. Too vast to be a bird, too quick to be a passing cloud._ It blocked out the sun_, Anna thought meekly. _But wait, where is the sun?_

In her spot, nestled between two tall evergreens, their roots grinding into her shoulder blades, and another nudging the toe of her boot, with concealing shrubs forming a barrier around her, Anna thought she was safe. The blinding sun had filtered a decent amount of light through the treetops, settling nicely on her cheeks and warming her slightly through her loose cotton blouse, even touching her skin where the shirt opened delicately, just above the curve of her breasts. Now, the sun had been overpowered, the dark gray clouds pressing over it, suffocating it until the last rays were stifled, as good as dead. Once the sun, her only friend, had deserted her, Anna suddenly felt vulnerable.

Deciding that bravery was the best policy, since whatever was silently present with her had undoubtedly discovered her there, Anna rose from the ground and called out to the stranger.

"Who's there?" Silence. "I know there's someone,"-something, some creature-"there, so where are you?" Anna instinctively placed her steady hand on the handle of her blade and tried provoking instead. "What, are you too much of a gentleman to come and fight a little girl, or are you just too scared?" Anna hesitated, straining her ears for a response, a sound, anything. When nothing came, she turned quickly toward the lighter part of the forest; the one she knew led to the safety of the wide dirt path that wound sinuously through the wood. "Cowardly bastard," she mumbled under her breath, her heartbeat fully returned to normal and hands on her slender hips rather than the sword dangling from her leather belt.

It all happened fast. Too fast. Too fast to be real, and too fast to be human.

The wind was no longer a light breeze grazing her face, but an unmatched force, howling as if in agony and warning as it shook the branches violently. The clouds rolled in faster than ever, pressing down on the scene, making it difficult for her to breathe as if they were actually weights flattening down on her lungs. The darkness was growing, not just closer, but more concentrated, and she could almost feel it getting denser around her as it enveloped her. Except for the wind roaring, everything else went silent, like a pillow had been thrust over the woods- no animal cries, no rush of water, just wind. It hurt Anna's head, making her head spin until she lost control of balance and her legs slowly collapsed under her. It seemed like gravity itself was pulling her past the ground, to the very center of the earth. With an intense sinking feeling, Anna could do no more than lay on the floor in a crumpled heap, looking so small and broken. _What's going on? _Anna thought. She felt physically weak, but her mind was still sharp. Her stomach still pressed to the ground, she raised her head a fraction and peered into the area of forest where she had heard singing just moments ago. As if in answer to her thoughts, she heard a laugh, no doubts this time, from directly where she was staring at. It echoed in the darkness, and was carried on the wind around her, snaking through the trees. It was a cold, sinister laugh, but seductive at the same time.

Anna's hand twitched toward her sword, but she could not find the strength to reach it. Instead she focused on standing up. She braced one hand on the hard, packed earth and drew her knees in toward herself so she could prop herself up in a kneeling position. Once there, the pressure on her, on the forest seemed to lift a little. Anna seized her chance and managed to get to her feet, standing completely straight. Showing no emotion in her face, she would have looked like a statue had it not been for the wind whipping her curls around her face. Then, just as fast as it came, the wind died, bringing the leaves to a halt and the wood fell completely hushed.

Anna, still motionless except for the rising and falling of her chest, stared around warily. It was still difficult to see through the hazy darkness. She took a step forward, toward the gap in the trees where the snicker had emanated from. The two trees seemed to form an archway, both more bare and dead than the surrounding evergreens and pines. They curved up and the tips of their limbs intertwined, like a doorway to an unknown wickedness. As she took another step toward the arch, she inhaled deeply and held her breath.

Anna froze, one foot still raised above the ground, and let the breath out slowly. She put her foot down on the forest floor, and let her nose search the air. When she had taken that first breath, she had detected something, a mysterious scent. With the second sniff, she could still not place her finger on it. Then, with one more inhalation, she figured out what she was smelling. There was one aroma that she still could not find a name for, but it was pleasant, a type of cologne, maybe? Something that she could only describe as a person's unique scent, perhaps of their clothing, like Van Helsing's overcoat. But the other smell was one that filled her with dread and made her stand stock-still, a yard from the archway.

Blood. And the mix of the two odors was coming, unmistakably, from behind her.

Anna tried to spin around, but two arms shot out from behind her, with black sleeves and hands as white as moonlight. One wrapped itself around her ribs, pinning her own arms to her sides. The other cupped itself over her mouth, before her lips had a chance to separate and let out a bloodcurdling scream. The arms felt like they could be made of cement, they were so strong, and the hand over her jaw was as cold as ice. Anna knew there must be a man standing behind her, pressing her against him, but it felt more like a wall- tall, unmoving, unyielding, like granite. He pulled her as close to him as possible, tightening his grip to ensure her immobility. Once again a wave of the blood and cologne scent washed over her, sending her nose into a frenzy. The unrecognizable smell was intoxicating, but the aroma of blood made Anna want to faint. The man was tall, she could tell, because she felt his head lower down a few inches in order for him to place his lips right next to her left ear. She shivered as his wintry breath settled on her neck.

"You've grown up, Anna."

Anna gasped as she heard the quiet voice in her ear. She balled her hands into fists at her sides, fingernails piercing her flesh. Another shiver went down her spine as she recognized the voice. It was a silky, cold voice, perfect in every way and yet chilling to the bone. It made you crazy as you yearned for more, wanting what was much too dangerous to have.

"Count Dracula."

"Ah, you've remembered," he whispered.

Anna _did _remember. It was the voice that haunted her nightmares, floated through her mind at night, a phantom sound in her memories. A sound she had not heard since she was seven. That was the first and only time she had seen Dracula. Well, not exactly _seen_, since his face was in shadow_._ He had come into her home, a castle well shrouded by the east side of the Transylvanian forest, for one reason only: murder. And he had succeeded. The surprise attack had worked well, since only she and her mother were at home. Anna's father and brother had not been there to protect them, but she did not blame them once. Dracula had gotten to her mother before she even knew what was going on. Anna stumbled into the dark room, calling out for her mother, only to hear that same seductive, heartless laugh. Following the sound, she crept slowly into her mother's bedroom only to find her tangled in the sheets of her bed, the amount of blood so great that it was leaking off the side of the limp mattress and onto the stone floor. Anna ran to her mothers, tears flowing over her round cheeks, but whipped around as she heard approaching footsteps. A tall man strode into the room, quietly yet with power, and stopped in the shadows, just inches from Anna. He had explained to her, in that irresistible voice, that her mother _had _to die, everyone in her family had to die. "Except you, my dear," he cooed. "No, I don't think I'll have to worry about _you._ In fact, you may prove to be very useful when you're older." He walked slowly to the window; each footstep deliberately brought him closer to her. His black boots, matching his entirely black ensemble, made a dull thud as he approached. When he reached the ledge of the open window, right in front of her, he reached out a sure hand and stroked the side of her face, from her temple down to her trembling jaw, then grazed it over her soft neck. She shut her light eyes in fear, and before she knew it, the ice upon her cheek was gone, as was the man. She heard one more entrancing laugh from outside the window, and then nothing but her mother's ragged last breaths. She knew then and there that this was Count Dracula, the Father of the Undead, the vampire her family was warned of. Why they somehow were a threat to him, she didn't know then, or now. But he had needed to destroy her family, and in return her family had vowed to remain in purgatory until the vampire had been taken down. Even though that night was over 13 years ago, that memory was burned into her mind. Not one time passes when she can't remember the velvety sound of his voice, his laugh, or his glacial touch.

Dracula brought her back to the present. "My dear," he said softly, "it has been entirely too long." With that he twisted the hand by her side into one of her own, and gently but firmly brought it up to his face. He brushed his cold, delicate lips over her pale hand, and she shook again. "Now, this is not the elegant meeting I had hoped for, so if you would kindly agree to keep from screaming, I could release you. Anna, can you make that promise to me? I promise that there is nothing to shriek about, anyway," he assured her. She could almost hear the smirk in his voice.

Anna weighed her options. There wasn't much she could do, other than agree. She could bite the inside of his hand, and run away once he let go, but she knew how tough vampire skin was, especially the vampire lord's. Chances are she'd shatter her teeth in the process. And even if he did let go, how far could she possibly get? He's one of the fastest creatures out there. She sighed into his hand, her breath warming her mouth a bit, and nodded her head resolutely.

"Good girl," he said sweetly, and dropped the hand he was holding. He pulled his arm around her ribcage slowly, and then lowered his arm. He trailed the other hand away from her mouth, his icy fingertips brushing over her soft lips. He slipped his hand over her chin, down her throat, across her collarbone, and did not hesitate when he got to her chest, sliding his hand over the side of her right breast. Anna tensed, and he let that hand drop, too. He stepped back a fraction, and Anna turned around languidly.

There was no way Anna could have prepared herself for what awaited her. She raised her defiant eyes to Dracula, and a soft _whoosh _of air escaped her lungs; Dracula chuckled at that. He was unlike anyone else she had ever encountered before. His tall frame was thin, yet muscular. She could see his strength even through his thick black clothing, which contrasted startlingly with the pearly white skin of his hands, neck, and face. Long, shiny raven hair was pulled back into a ponytail that glided down the nape of his neck, ending around his shoulders. A few strands had escaped, and fell perfectly on his smooth face. Despite being a lot older than she was (about a few centuries older, actually) he appeared to be only about 15 years older than she. His eyes were as black as his hair, and reflected more than just the scene in front of him. His mouth was pulled into a slightly menacing, yet still beautiful smile; his thin, pale lips drawn together. He held himself with grace, as Anna was sure he moved with as well. His black coat was open to reveal a silky black shirt underneath, buttoned all the way except for one left open at the top, exposing more flawless white skin at the base of his neck.

Anna had known that there was no way this monster could look human. But she never expected that he would be so stunningly gorgeous.


	5. My Proposal

**Ok sorry it took sooo long to finally get chapter five up but i've been having relationship issues and such / Anyway here it is hope you enjoy it please review i really do like it and thanks soo much to KoKopelli the only lovely that reviewed and convinced me to stick with this3 Lotsa love, Karen**

Anna's heart fluttered unexpectedly as she glared at the Vampire Lord, and she felt her stare falter under his; piercing black eyes gazed into hers intensely. Could it be a trick? Did he just want to distract her with those perfect irises? Or was the slight warmth and curiosity behind them genuine? Anna tried to control her rapid heartbeats with little success. Her chest rose and fell quickly, and she could feel his burning look slide down from her flushed face slightly. He arched a perfect black eyebrow and the former smirk took its place on his pale lips. His eyes resumed their silent scrutiny of her face, taking in exact details. She stood there, tenses and ready to…what, fight? Not possible alone. She could do nothing but obey Dracula at the moment. So she shifted her weight, not easing her unnerved behavior, her rigid posture, hand craving to close over the smooth handle of her blade, at the same time wishing for anything but that. Anna then realized that he must be waiting for her to say something, so she inhaled deeply- his uniquely appealing, yet at the same time repulsive, aroma filled her nostrils- and stepped forward.

"Count," she began, uncertain of what he was looking for. "I am grateful for you trusting to release me, but why? I mean, if you needed something from me, why not use force, as is so common with you monsters?" She spat it out viciously, and did not regret the harshness. So what if he could kill her in one strike? She would fight back honorably, and die for her family like she always planned to. _We Transylvanians always look on the brighter side of death, _she thought to herself fiercely. It did not matter anymore. It did not matter how inhumanly beautiful the face before her was, this monster murdered her mother.

"Oh, Anna, you have a fire in you that I underestimated," Dracula said silkily, a new light in his charcoal eyes now. Apparently he did not mind the acidic tone in her voice; actually, it seemed to only excite him more. He took a long stride towards her, and she did not try to conceal herself in the shadows like any normal, any _sane _person would do. Dracula's lips curled up even more, now revealing a row of perfect, brilliantly white teeth. Anna caught sight of the pointed fangs and looked back to his eyes quickly. That was a big mistake. She was enveloped in them again, lost in those stunning orbs.

"You don't try to hide from me when I come near you? You don't veil yourself fruitlessly like other humans, but stand here unafraid." Oh, but she _was_ afraid. Afraid of being sucked into those eyes forever. Although their icy depths were filled with hate-not specifically for her- the blackness seemed to go on forever, unraveling new mysteries in each shadow. Those eyes mesmerized, and it was not a safe place to be. However, she had enough self-control to snap away from their tricks. She would not bow down to this monster, this hideously beautiful creature of the night.

"Why should I hide myself?" Anna questioned disharmoniously.

"That's the beauty of it, my dear," he murmured. Anna's stomach turned; Dracula calling her "my dear," the courteous, seductive language of another century, yet still alive in the best and worst men, made her uneasy in more than one way. "You shouldn't mask yourself," he continued. "Not from me, anyway. I could see through it if you did. I see through people, Anna, to their very soul, their very existence. I rip that protective mask from their cowering faces. It doesn't make me a monster," he said, seeing her expression of disgust. "Oh no, just the opposite. It makes me honest. Despite what people may say, whether from common knowledge, experience, legends, they are wrong. I do not lie. I find it a waste of time, and you will never get exactly what you want from life if you do lie. I, rather, find comfort in telling people exactly what it is I want, and then make sure they obey." He smiled again, his eyes glinting.

"How can I be sure that in itself isn't a lie?" Anna shot back.

"Ah, well, I suppose you can't. But you can have my word, Anna, that I am being utterly sincere with you. Maybe you can't trust me; in fact, I would consider you a fool if you did. But…" He flashed a smile at her; it didn't quite reach his intuitive eyes this time, and then his face was once more serious. "We're more alike than you think, and I know you would probably interrupt right about here, so…" He reached out an arm toward her and placed a cool finger derisively over her slightly parted rosy lips. She blushed and remained silent, but her brow furrowed and her eyes flashed. "I know you're thinking that there is no possible way for us to be somehow linked, but I know better. We are both stubborn, both determined, and both have a strong grip on reality that puts us ahead of lesser beings. And due to those facts, how can you not believe my honesty? I am unwavering- I need something, and I am dead set on receiving it. I know the only real way to get it is not to take you by force, or take your mind as my own pet, but be honest. You would go along the same path, am I right, my dear?"

Anna blinked and realized, her heart thudding dully, that he was right.

"So, then, my Count, what exactly is it that you want from me?"

Taking that as a sign that she had accepted his logic, Dracula smiled even wider this time. "All in good time, my sweet. First I have a few questions for you, and I hope that you answer them as genuinely as I will answer yours." He threw another cold, heartbreaking smile at her, and she nodded once. "Good. First, I may know more than you think I do. In fact, I may know more about you than you do. So, I know how you felt towards your beloved Van Helsing. Confused, possibly in…love?" He guessed, laughing a cruel snicker that made Anna's old feelings of the vampire rush back. Her head whirled, a million thoughts fighting for her attention inside. _How can he know this? _She thought helplessly. Had he been watching her? Not very surprising, maybe, because of her surname, but still. _It doesn't matter,_ she decided. She remained stoic, no emotion flooding forth from the confines of her small body. "Oh, I see. Fresh wounds." He smiled, showing his fangs. However, all traces of his gentleman-like façade where not gone. "I'm sorry, my dear. Not appropriate at the present time, I suppose…" He said it almost to himself. "Well, I'm sure it won't hurt to skip one question. Now, where to go next. Ah, I know. Where you planning on going back to Van Helsing?"

That one really didn't surprise her. Of course he wanted to know her plans. So he could plan around them. She shrugged her slim shoulders in defeat. She felt a strange pulling at her mind. Maybe the mind reading myths were true. She felt like no matter what she said, lie or truth, he could tell the difference in a heartbeat. "I don't know. What does it matter to you?" Anna's words stung the air like frostbite.

"What if I could offer you an alternative? Another choice. You don't have to go back to where you're not loved, not respected." Dracula stepped closer to Anna; he was so close now that every word was a cold breath on her face. She looked up at that demonic angel's face, his black eyes boring straight into hers. His chest now pressed against her breasts, his nose almost touching her face. The scent coming off of him was irresistible, and Anna felt as though she may pass out from the stench of the blood. The loose strands of his raven hair brushed slightly against her cheek, which was now enflamed. Though blushing, Anna did not detach herself from him, or lose her resolute stare.

"So that brings me to my part of the deal, my dear." The sharp, glistening eyeteeth were only inches from her face, from her neck. "I vowed that I would be honest with my intentions, and a gentleman always keeps his promise." With a wink and one last smile, Dracula returned to his former, solemn self.

Anna gasped as Dracula grabbed her wrists, his strong fingers wrapping around tightly with no mind of letting go. He pulled her in closer to his stone body, if that was even possible, crushing the breath right out of her. He tilted his perfect head to the side, so his hair gracefully fell over the side of his face, and then moved it closer to Anna's face. His mouth was mere centimeters from her scarlet lips, which were poised open in shock. When he opened his fair lips to speak, the sight of his fangs greeted her, so close he could tear her face apart, rip the creamy skin from the muscle and bone hiding underneath.

"Anna, my dear, I will take no longer than necessary to say what needs to be said." He looked her square in the eye, perhaps trying to see some onyx in that chocolate iris.

"I want you to be my bride."

All the air in Anna's lungs disappeared at those final words. Her head spun with a million thoughts, each one as foggy and incoherent as the last. She could feel herself blacking out, knew it was inevitable, but she did not want to welcome the dark abyss. She wanted to remain in reality, in the cool grip of Dracula. Anna found it harder still to stay conscious, and could not gather any breath back into her body. She had now gone limp in the vampire's awaiting arms, her knees giving out under her own weight and her confused head resting in the crook of his elbow, too tired to resist. She could not focus, could not speak, could do nothing but sink into Dracula, fall into his chest.

Dracula caught Anna and held her close, careful not to hurt her when she was in such a state. He drew her in closer, so her head raised up to his shoulder, her dark curls tickling his face. He smiled into her hair, and then cooed her back to consciousness.

"Anna, pet, please wake up. I did not mean to startle you like that," he breathed, stroking her cheek with his icy fingertips. "Say something, my dear."

Anna could distantly hear the Count's silky voice, and managed to mumble something into his neck, therefore getting a whiff of his scent so strong that she could almost taste the blood, mixed with his sweet aroma. She felt herself being lowered to the ground quickly yet gently, one hand on her upper arm and the other on the small of her back. As she reached the compact earth, she groaned, reluctantly wishing for the more comfortable feel of Dracula's embrace. She could hear steps around her, Dracula circling her slowly. After a few minutes the steps died down, and Anna was starting to come around. She remembered where she was, what had happened. And, worst of all, what has been asked of her. No, not asked- told. Thinking Dracula had realized she would not stir for a while, and perhaps gone somewhere else for the moment, Anna daringly opened her eyes a fraction. And two charcoal black eyes stared back.

"Ah, good, you're up. Now I was expecting you to be out a couple of hours, yet it was but a few moments. I suppose I should have suspected more strength from Anna Valerious. Forgive me for doubting you." He flashed a wickedly beautiful smile, and Anna blinked. _What on earth is he talking about? _she thought. Then something clicked. He must be trying to distract her, charm her away from why she fainted. There was no confusing her, though.

"Why do you want me, of all people, as your bride?" Anna asked sharply.

Dracula, showing no surprise whatsoever at this sudden outburst, smiled again. "Well, I'm glad I don't have to ask again. I was hoping I wouldn't have to startle you like that another time." He was seated on the ground beside her, a very strange, humanly casual position for a vampire. He reached out a hand and trailed the freezing back of it along Anna's jawbone, then continued. "I told you I would reply to everything honestly, and I will not go back on my word. A true gentleman never does." There were those pearly teeth again, behind the cold smile. "Anna, I think you are one of the rare people who don't see themselves clearly. You are a magnificently beautiful creature, strong, determined, have a heart full of love to share. Why wouldn't anyone want you as their own? A man would be foolish to give you up." Following those words, Anna was momentarily stunned. A red flush crept up her chest, over her neck, and leaked across her face. How could a man so gorgeous want her? Then she remembered he was not a man at all, but a monster.

"Yes, all of that aside, Count," Anna replied quickly, embarrassed. "Why would you want me, a Valerious, as a wife? My entire family wishes you destroyed, and has spent centuries trying to do that. Why would you think I am any different? What makes you think I will not try, even succeed, at that very same goal, as soon as you welcome me into your world of darkness?"

"Because, my dear, you are not the same as your family. Yes, you have the same drive, the same will, the same fire, but you are more different than you think. You have a guarded heart that none of your family had. They were all so willing to give into love, do anything for it no matter how futile, and yet you hesitate. You are not as open about it; you do not let people in easily. Therefore you are quite different, your own person, and that intrigues me. Though it may seem foolish, I do not believe that I am in danger of you simply because of your name. I also think I could take you if I wanted" he grinned.

"Wait," Anna interrupted impatiently. "Even if you do believe I am different, and will not try to complete the task my family set, why do you continue to covet me if you know I have a guarded heart? What makes you think I will let you in, when I shut out love from so many others?"

"One word, my dear." With those words, the vampire lord leaned in closer to Anna, his perfect lips curling up into a smile an inch from her ear. Anna was still lying on the ground, so there was nowhere to go as she felt his cool breath on her neck once again. "Curiosity. Soon you are going to realize that, unlike many others, I am not going to give up my pursuit of you. And once you realize that, love, you will relent. Not at first, but slowly you will give in to me due to your curiosity. It comes with a guarded heart. One who shuts so many out, does not open herself to love, starts to question the way it feels," he whispered seductively. Anna felt lost in his silky voice, unable to control her trembling knees, her burning center. The attraction that rushed forth from these alluring words was almost overpowering. She yearned for his icy lips to crush against hers, despite the hatred she felt for the creature. "You _will _want to know how it feels, Anna… And when you do, I will be there to show you…" He trailed off enticingly, and Anna felt, to her surprise and utter pleasure, a cold mouth pressing softly into her neck, just below where the frosty words were blowing into her ear. The sensation of Dracula's soft kiss was overwhelming, and she reacted in ways she detested. Her lips parted and she let out a quiet breath of air, the warm wetness between her legs now a searing hotness. She unwillingly leaned towards Dracula, desiring more and hating herself for it, and at that moment he pulled away from her neck. He was smirking at her obvious lust, and she turned away from him again in embarrassment, now on her side with her back to him. So was this his own form of punishment for her, for her family's murderous efforts? To torture her, arouse her and then deny her the desires she cannot hide from him?

She heard a soft, evil and yet adoring, chuckle from behind her. Alarmed, Anna felt a glacial hand travel up her back, staring just above her tailbone and sliding across her thin blouse up to where her chocolate curls fell, and then back down again.

"Will I take that…eager response as a yes, then, to my previous proposal?"

Anna flipped over and glared into those hypnotic ink-black eyes, shocked and still pleased from his cool touch. Once again she could not find words as she became absorbed in his eyes. Despite her knowing he was the manifestation of all things evil, straight from Hell, he really was something stunning. She considered for a moment saying yes, but then her stubborn mind took over again.

"No damn way is that a yes," Anna snarled, fighting against both Dracula's demand and her growing sexual frustration.

"I see," the Count said, his velvety voice unwavering. "Well then, I guess you leave me no choice, my dear."

And with that, the damned vampire with the angel's face swept Anna up into his vice-grip arms, pressing her against his well-sculpted body so his intoxicating smell drifted to her once more, and he dissolved into the darkness with his new fiancée.


	6. My Compassion

**So tired after finishing this one, longest one yet. I'm proud of it though, and I hope all of my dearies like it too. Thanks to Robert1000 for reviewing, and I hope more people review too cause i'm loving it! Enjoy. Lotsa love, Karen**

Cool air danced across Anna's face, brushing over her cheeks, lips, and tightly shut eyelids. Her dark lashes twitched as she went to open her eyes, and then froze, pausing mid-breath. Chest no longer softly rising and falling, the only movement was a few stray hairs tickling her face. Anna had only one thought right now: Dracula. The cold wave above, the hairs stroking her cheeks. She was still groggy from her slumber-she must have fainted again when Dracula stole her away- but alert enough to take in a few things, besides the fact that Dracula was perched mere inches from her. Underneath her was not the rough, familiar feel of the forest floor, but the cushioned paradise of a bed- a pleasure she had not encountered in her weeks of hunting vampires. Through her heavy lids, light was filtering through to awaken her mind. _So it must be day, _Anna thought. _I must have been out for hours, since we left moments before dusk. _She shivered, pondering what could have happened in those hours. She felt fine, no pains or major differences noted. Just the change in atmosphere, which brought her back to what must be waiting above her. Anna considered what she should do, similarly to her first trapped encounter with Dracula in the clearing. Yet again, her choices were not much. Going with whatever came her way seemed to be the best option. Eyes still tightly closed, Anna tensed and waited to spring. Then, without warning, she jumped up wildly, eyes snapping open but focusing on nothing in particular, everything a blur of colors, reaching for her sword to attack and finding…_nothing. _Anna froze immediately upon discovering that her sword and sheath were both gone, and then finally looked at the scene in front of her.

Anna collapsed back onto the bed in relief, her slender frame sinking into the delicately soft mattress. _No danger, _she thought to herself calmly. The icy air she had thought to be the Count above her was nothing more than a winter breeze from an open window coming in to greet her, the free strands of hair on her face were in reality her own. Breathing rate returning to normal, Anna raised herself slightly and leaned her back against the steel bed frame, which was ornately designed, gold and twisted into gorgeous patterns. The bed linens she laid on were fit for royalty as well, black silk sheets under a thick velvet bedspread, red with artistic golden patterns and black seams. Glancing away from the master-sized bed she sat comfortably yet uneasily on, Anna gazed across the rest of the huge room. It was obvious Anna was in a castle, no doubt Dracula's infamous one, but she had never seen one so beautiful. Just from this one room, Anna could tell if it was under a different circumstance, she would be happy here forever. The stone walls, which she had envisioned to be filthy and bare, where lined with ancient tapestries and masterpieces. The artwork was colorful and appealing to the eye despite the harshness of some of the themes, such as the one by the large wooden double doors depicting Satan ripping Earth down into a bloody and fiery Hell. Anna, half disturbed by the image, and half intrigued by its intricate detail, turned away and focused on other things. A beautiful rug covered part of the stone floor near the entrance to the room, its colors and pattern matching the bedspread. There was only one window, the open one beside the bed whose soft wind had awoken her. Surrounding the stone-carved window were long, flowing curtains, black to match the rest of the room's décor. They were pulled away from the window, letting sunlight pool into the room and settle across the bed. Anna cursed herself silently for her stupidity. She had seen light through her closed eyes; of course Dracula could not have been there. He must have left them open for her benefit. Anna faced away from the window and observed the furniture. Large, tasteful pieces were placed around the room, all painted black. There was a large armoire, as well as a desk next to a golden, jewel-encrusted candelabra, with papers and maps strewn across it. A floor length mirror stood beside the armoire, taking up a large portion of the long stone wall. Why a vampire would have any need for such a mirror puzzled Anna. With no reflection, what was the purpose? The last thing that caught Anna's eye was by far the best part of the perfect room. Across almost the entire west wall, the one with the window beside the bed, were numerous, grand bookshelves, black as well. They were so massive that they covered the height of the wall, reaching the high ceiling and continuing along the wall, from one end of it to just before the window. One last bookcase was placed on the other side of the window, just enough room to fit one more, nestled tightly into the corner. Anna adored reading, and was taken aback by the hundreds of thousands of books, from old and worn volumes to newer novels, spines perfectly intact.

Anna, done marveling the room, was once again aware that her blade was missing. The absence of it was painful, like a burning, white-hot wire had replaced it. Anna looked down to grope for her sheath once again, and then froze, horrified.

Anna's clothes were gone. Well, not _gone, _but replaced. Someone had taken off her casual garments and dressed her in an elegant gown instead. Someone saw her bare, something Anna was sure to let no one do- _because of my guarded heart? _she thought angrily- and she didn't even know who that person was, or what else they had done to her while she lay exposed and vulnerable. She did, however, think she had a good idea of who so carelessly stripped her, the only one here to do it. She shivered, praying to God she was mistaken.

Anna slid off the bed carefully and walked to the large mirror, stepping ever so lightly and cautiously. When she had crossed the room and turned fully toward the glass, Anna could not help but gasp. The gown was exquisite, something so expensive and elegant that she would never have dreamed herself in. It was black, naturally, as it must have been the gift of a vampire. What started in a corset laced at the back slid down the length of her torso and hugged the curve of her hips delicately, soon widening into a pool of satin around her legs, caressing the floor as she stepped. It was sleeveless, but had thin halter straps, black and gold intertwining, that wound over her bare shoulders and knotted behind her neck. The night black of the dress was spotted with golden seams holding it together, along the sides of her chest and upper body. Anna held her breath as she stared in the glass. She couldn't even think of it as a mirror; the girl in the dress was much too beautiful and eloquent to be herself.

She started to fantasize, saw herself in this dress beside, to her surprise, and yet still not at all shocking, Van Helsing. He brushed past her smoothly, grazing her arm with his own, sending a wave of goose bumps over her body. His hand slipped over the naked skin of her back above the top of her dress, towards the knot that held her straps together. He undid them in one brief movement, and her dress slid a little lower, but still tight over her swelling breasts. He ran his hands through her chocolate curls hanging loosely by her sides, but when his hand touched her neck again something was different. It no longer felt warm against her flushed skin, but glacial. Anna started to move away when she saw the raven hair behind her neck, but a firm hand held her in place. Dracula boldly moved lower than Van Helsing had dared, untying the knot that held her corset together, held her gown on her body, in one fluid movement. As he unlaced the gold and black strings, his onyx eyes flashed and he started to bite her neck softly. Anna let a small moan escape her parted, blood red lips, the sultry wetness in her center now dripping slowly down her inner thighs, hidden by the satin curtains of her dress. Dracula licked where her shoulder and neck met, causing Anna to tremble under the ice of his tongue. The gown was so loose now; the top was just barely covering her breasts, slipping lower as his hands snaked around to her chest, tracing lines across her front. He was so close to her breasts now; Anna let out a shaky breath impatiently…

"Oh! Damn it…" Anna rested a trembling hand over her racing heart as the antique grandfather clock chimed out the hour, terrifying her and bringing her back to real life. Anna swiveled her head towards the clock's face. "Eleven? Shit, I've been out for almost eighteen hours!" she cursed. Being gone for so long, what could have happened in all that time that had escaped her? What were Van Helsing and Carl doing? Where was Dracula, and what had he been doing? On second thought, she really didn't want to know the answer to that last one.

Anna practically ran to the wide double doors, now panicking. She couldn't bear to think of being trapped in this place with a bloodthirsty, sickeningly beautiful vampire who undresses women in their slumber while Van Helsing was out there, searching for her. She shoved her pale, naked shoulder against the wooden doors forcefully, then continued to hurry down the narrow, winding stone hallway. This bleak stone hall was not as bright or fancy as the room she had left, with no windows to light her path. A few candles clung to the walls, which seemed to widen as Anna strode farther down it. A beautiful carpet, purple and silver in color, emerged under her feet as she continued down the stone passageway. Doors now lined the walls every so often, and the hall seemed to decline slightly. When Anna reached the end of the passage, she was on a large indoor balcony overlooking a gorgeous, grand room decked in the same colors of purple and silver as the carpet. The room was brightly lit, but only by the light of candles hanging in chandeliers all along the ceiling, as well as in silver torches along the tapestry-covered stone walls. A long, cherry wood table with ornate designs carved into it ran across most of the huge room, proving it must be the dining room. The table must have been able to seat at least one hundred people. But at the moment, there was only one lone occupant, at the very far end of the table, near the glowing fireplace. He sat there, his head bent, black hair drooping over his face as he stared at something she couldn't see. He looked so alone, so in need of an escape…

Anna felt a stab of pain in her chest and doubled over, surprised. Was she feeling compassion towards this creature of the night? Did she feel sorry that this monster has been locked up here alone, with only a few meaningless brides to console him? _No_, she thought. Surely not. She marched defiantly toward the huge spiral staircase in the middle of the balcony, and started to descend toward that inhumanly evil vampire. _He has no heart with which to feel lonely, to feel pain._

As Anna climbed lower, Dracula raised his head and gazed toward the stairs. His fleeting look of solitude changed to one of approving triumph. She threw him a look of pure loathing, and he curved the corner of his lips up into a smirk. Her heart fluttered at that cruel smile; one could never get used to that perfect face. She slid gracefully off the last step and strode across the magnificent room, her gown _whooshing _quietly as she walked toward Dracula. When she was no more than three yards away, Dracula smiled, without his fangs, thankfully, and sunk into a low bow. He really was quite a perfect gentleman.

"I hope you liked your accommodations, my dear, it was actually my personal chambers. I thought you'd be more comfortable there…" he said, still in a slight bow.

"Get up, you sick bastard," Anna spat at him ungraciously. Now was not the time for his centuries-old, gentleman-like tricks. His smile faltered to a quizzical look, then relaxed back into a smile. His pale lips pressed together, a beautiful smile against the moonlight canvas of his skin, which went so well with his familiar black outfit. This time, most likely due to the more relaxed situation, his silky black shirt was unbuttoned two buttons, showing hints of his well-sculptured, snow-white chest.

"Ah, I see. No need to fret, my dear, I myself did not undress you. I wouldn't dare violate you like that, no matter how much I know we both desired it…" He trailed off suggestively and lifted a jet-black eyebrow. "No, it was Aleera who changed you into my little gift. I do hope you like it. I really do love those colors, especially on you…" he left off, eyeing her slim body, the lift of her bust above her corset.

"You…" Anna struggled to find a vile enough word, and then gulped slowly, finishing shakily. "You let…_Aleera _change me? Why would you do that? She is a bloodthirsty vampire, alone with an unprotected human that is supposed to take her place with the man she loves? She could have killed me!"

"No, no, my pet, I wouldn't have allowed it. Nothing can harm my blushing bride-to-be," he said sweetly, a malicious grin on his face.

Anna ignored him. "Why do you want me?"

"I thought we already went over this, love."

"No, I mean, why do you want another bride, when you already had three? Three gorgeous vampires that are eager to do your bidding, and you want me, who doesn't even want you back? Why do you even need me?" she said unexpectedly.

Dracula looked stunned, clearly surprised for the first time by this outburst. Then he faked a face of pure concern for Anna's feelings, and gracefully closed the distance between where the two stood. He came up behind Anna, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist before she could move. Defeated, she slumped away from him and listened.

"Anna, I had no idea you were feeling this way. I have several answers to your several questions," he whispered into her hair, his intoxicating scent swirling around her. "Well, I know you are fully aware that I no longer have three brides. Your beloved Van Helsing took Verona away as well earlier this day. Now all I have left is my sweet Aleera, and yet, I have had this feeling of emptiness the entire time I have been with my brides. They, sadly, have meant nothing to me. I obtained them for reasons I could not understand at the time. I was lonely, it's true, and I thought they would cure that. Alas, it has not had the effect I desired. I need _you, _Anna. I am willing to give up my last bride- yes, I am giving up Aleera for you," he muttered into her ear as she drew in a breath at that. "I feel that you are the one I have been missing, the one to cure the empty, non-beating heart of a vampire. I felt that when I first met you, that night thirteen years ago. I knew you would be the one caring enough, yet still defiant enough, to be the bride that I needed. I've been so…" His voice died away, and he gripped her tighter, almost as though he didn't want to lose her. He sounded so vulnerable, so sincere for the first time to Anna. Obviously he was not comfortable with this, and his other persona, the one everyone, even Anna, still, believed to be his true one, came out once more. "And to answer that other question, Anna, why I want someone who does not desire me back? Well, let's just say that, sooner than you think, you will realize that your lust for me has clouded your vision. You _do _want me, love…"

His breath was so cold on the back of her neck, through her dark curls. His arms around her waist started to drift down the front of her dress, his glacial touch resting on her warm, eager center through the satin layers. His irresistible aroma came closer still as his mouth parted on the back of her neck, replacing his breath with his skilled lips, tender kisses running down her tingling spine. Anna wanted to succumb, wanted to turn and accept his outrageous offers. Then her mind took over again, as it always managed to do. But with difficulty, lately. She did _not _want him.

"I don't think so, Count," Anna said faintly, pushing herself out of his solid arms. He let her go, but was back in front of her in under half a second. His stone chest pressed against her firm breasts, his cool hands slowly stroking the bare flesh of her arms. She remained where she was, breathing him in and trying hard as she could not to collapse into his devastatingly perfect embrace.

"My dear, you are due to be my bride," he cooed seductively.

"Somehow I doubt that," Anna muttered cheekily.

Dracula smiled, showing her his overwhelmingly white fangs, and continued. "We need not be so formal. Let us lose all this 'Count' nonsense, you may call me Vladislaus."

"I think I prefer 'Count,' if you don't mind. Or even if you do mind," Anna answered.

"As you wish, my dear," he murmured, taking her hands, grasping them more firmly as she tried to pull away. "But I know you want this, so why do you try to run? You love my touch upon your skin, my hands around yours…"

"No, I am quite actually repelled by the touch of a monster so vile as you. You have no care for other creatures, so if I am stuck here, why should I give you the care _you _want?"

Dracula looked taken aback. Anna cringed, expecting him to be furious, but instead he just loosened his hold on her, his onyx eyes looking away from Anna's flushed face. She was so confused. Where was the devil that would kill in one strike upon hearing such disobedience? He looked alone again, and what else was it? _Shame?_

Dracula's stunningly pale hands started to drop from hers, but Anna quickly slithered her hands deeper into his grasp, holding on to him weakly. She stepped a fraction of an inch closer to him, so the pitch black satin of her gown molded together with the black of his clothes. She managed to choke out one small word, no more than a whisper.

"Vladislaus…"

The crushed vampire turned to gaze at Anna incredulously. His black eyes were wary, yet delighted. He softly intertwined his fingers with hers once more, tightly but still not so much that she could not release her hands. He must be thinking the same thing that she was: _what had brought about this sudden change of heart? _Anna herself didn't know. All she knew was, when she saw the powerful Count Dracula looking so dejected, something compassionate in her came forth.

He lowered his head to her face fluidly, and brushed his lips softly against her blushing cheek, cooling the heated flesh. He stepped away from her then, dropped into one more small bow, and turned toward another large wooden door.

"Count…ah, Vladislaus," Anna forced out, watching him halt and spin around quickly.

"Yes, my pet?"

"Just out of my own morbid curiosity, and this does not mean I am marrying you" she cautioned, struggling to find the words. "Were you, perhaps, considering changing me into a…a vampire to become your bride?" The mere thought of it made Anna sick with disgust and fear.

Dracula just stood there in response, a few raven strands falling across his monstrously beautiful face, arms crossed over his chest. He gave her one mischievously attractive smile, dazzling her beyond reason, and just raised his perfectly arched eyebrows.

_Oh crap._


	7. My Realization

**Ok I am quite tired, having been working on this, my longest chapter yet (a whopping 4819 words can i hear a whoot!?) all day, trying to update for my readers as quickly as possible. I am trying for a chapter a day, and i will continue to keep it coming, as long as i get some lovely reviews (thanks soo much idrial!!) from all my dear readers! I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as i loved writing it. More to come soon, i promise, next chapter will be good and steamy! Please review if you have any questions- i know it gets confusing- or anything else you wanna say :) Lotsa love, Karen**

_I. Do. Not. Want. Him._

Anna struggled with her subconscious as she tried to focus on reading, the only thing that kept her from losing her mind around here. However, she was not having much success. Every few pages, his hideously handsome face would swirl across her thoughts, either broken or devilishly triumphant. She could not shake him from her; he was now inside her very being, so interlaced that Anna felt a frost slowly covering her heart at each thought of him. However, she refused to believe what he called the obvious, that she was lusting for him more and more with each shaky breath she took.

Dracula had given her complete use of his personal quarters, the gorgeous tower room she had awoken in earlier, and all of his possessions in it. Mercifully, that included his extensive library. Anna had been sifting through volumes, picking out what sparked her interest the most. She avoided the ancient-looking books with whispers of vampires and other creatures of the night in their dusty pages. Anna was currently seated in a blood red, velvet armchair, perched precariously on the edge as she tried to push the Father of the Undead out of her mind. A thick novel lay open in her lap, nestled in the folds of the exquisite gown Anna had grown to tolerate, even like. But no matter how much he doted upon her, it did not change Anna's feelings for the… Count. She had had difficulty thinking of Dracula as a monster ever since his display this morning, the way he looked so defeated, so isolated from the world. She could still not consider him a man, though.

Anna sighed and turned her head to look at the lone gothic window across the room, grabbing one of her chocolate curls as it spun around her face and twisting it in her fingers. When her gaze settled on the window, she froze, confused. The smooth glass of the window was pushed open, the long black curtains billowing in the light breeze. A chilled winter air blew in through the stone opening now, reaching over to Anna and raising goose bumps on the pale, bare flesh now exposed from her dress, tickling her arms, chest, neck.

_That window was not open a minute ago_, she thought silently.

Anna, knowing the glass panes to have been shoved firmly in their place in the stone window upon her entry of this room hours ago, got up quietly and placed her hands delicately on her satin-covered hips. Still standing far from the window, Anna's eyes swept the rest of the room for anything unusual. Her dark orbs rested on the grand bed, something laid neatly across its soft comforter that also was not there before. She slithered quickly over to the bed, the open window blowing an arctic chill toward her. She peered outside once, but the dark night impaired her vision, seeing little else than the scattered stars and small sliver of white moon. She glanced back down to the bed, at the silky black folded neatly over the blanket. Hesitantly, she reached out a hand and grasped the silk, lifting it up before her. As it unfolded, it became apparent that it was a gorgeous silk nightgown, black to match her gown and- she shivered- Dracula's clothes as well. It was short- _very _short-, as well as revealing. The thin material clung loosely to Anna's hand now, much as it would do on her body, showing every curve. Thin shoulder straps dangled loosely from the top, holding up the plunging neckline. Thankfully, a matching robe had been included, same expensive material and color, except it was floor length. It was quite beautiful, but the nightgown was a bit too revealing for her taste. However, she would wear it anyway; it was a kind gesture, and he _had _included the robe. He being, of course, Dracula. Who else could have managed all this? And yet, how did he get past her, silent and invisible? He was a vampire, a creature of the night, but still. No one could have gotten through that window without her seeing. And where was he now?

"Do you like it?"

On cue, a velvety voice rang out across the room, almost giving Anna a heart attack. She spun around wildly on her heel and faced the chair she was resting in only seconds ago. It was now occupied by an inhuman beauty, elbows resting on the red velvet arms of the chair and head tilted to the side, leaning in one open hand. His pale face shone with pride at her obvious appreciation of his gift. Those few famous strands of silky black hair blew across his face in the breeze, crossing the path of his hypnotic, smoky eyes. They did not seem to entirely focus as he stared at her, smiling with his teeth again.

"Yes, I do. It's very… Thank you, Count." Anna had been trying her hardest to show some compassion towards the creature, despite the fact that the murderer had kidnapped her and had her trapped in the prison of his castle, as well as the prison of her own subconscious with all the mind tricks he had been pulling on her.

"Splendid," he murmured graciously. "Well, then, it is late. At least for you," he chuckled, the laugh not reaching his empty eyes. Empty. They were never so, always filled with some emotion, whether it be anger, mischief, lust… He then sighed, a cool breath letting sadness out through those perfect, pale lips. _What was wrong with him?_ Anna thought disconcertedly. Was he feeling the creeping pain of solitude again, or were his troubles triggered by another catalyst this time? "To experience what joys you have, so many take for granted," he said silkily, more to himself rather than her. "The pure bliss I yearn for…"

Anna stared carefully at the attractive face, watching the slight creases in his relatively young face deepen as he frowned. The sudden change in character was like poison in her veins, coursing through her body and pooling into her mind. It altered everything she knew about this creature, and her encounters with him, that it started to hurt. A gnawing sensation growing where the poison rippled in her abdomen, she questioned her own feelings. Why should she care if he was not the same bold, devilishly charming man he had been earlier today… he meant nothing to her. That brief moment of sympathy she had given to him that morning, it was nothing more than pity. She couldn't bear to see someone so broken like that, when he was usually so sure of himself, so… Anna shook her head, reorganizing her crazy thoughts and images. _No, _she figured conclusively. _This must be his real person. A solemn, power-hungry, defeated vampire. _It was only after she thought the word vampire that she realized she had just a moment ago thought of him as a _man._ Her brown eyes widened as she understood what she truly saw in Count Dracula. A man, shrouded by a dark, controlling cloak of evil. He chose this fate, but still misses the sweet relief of being human. Perhaps that was why he groped so tightly to those human qualities he was allowed to savor.

"I do apologize, my dear. Sometimes when you harness the power to live for centuries, you get lost in the memories. The things you think of during the dark abyss of eternity." Yet again, there was that troubling look, the corners of his lips twitching down slightly, threatening to shatter the polite façade. He recomposed his face into a perfect mask, the beauty hiding the anguish billowing within him. "Please forgive me, love."

"Well, yes," Anna replied, slightly confused of what he was sorry for. Everyone had a right to bathe in their thoughts; it could get overwhelming sometimes. She thought perhaps there was a deeper meaning behind the apology, but Dracula did not press the matter any further.

"Excellent, my pet." Soon recovering from his uneasy persona, the Count made his way smoothly over to where Anna was standing, nightgown still in hand. "Please allow me to escort you to my grand bath, so you have a moment to prepare for slumber. And, if you will, change into my gift?" He raised a familiar eyebrow and gentlemanly held out a muscular, black-clad arm to her, which she tentatively accepted, intertwining her own arm through his. He took the opportunity to pull her closer to his body, the icy chill emanating from him. She shivered but remained in his grasp, somehow less reluctant than usual to be graced by his presence.

He led her out through the heavy wooden doors, down the widening hallway, and stopped at a high arched door a short distance after the purple and silver carpet emerged under their airy steps. He turned to look at her one last time, his ethereal beauty shining from his pale face, chiseled body, noble poise. He smiled at her; the first true one since he had stole into her room tonight. His fangs exposed in amusement, he removed his arm from hers gently and stepped back from her. "Please enjoy the benefits of my grand bath, feel free to use what you wish." And with that, he bowed and opened the tall, elegant door, allowing her to pass through. As she stepped over the threshold, she heard the door creak slowly closed behind her, but did not remove her eyes from the scene in front of her to check if he was gone. The stone room was huge, much too large to be a restroom. The bathtub was slightly larger than Dracula's master bed; it could fit two people easily, with enough comfort room to do more than just wash. Anna quivered a bit at this thought, wondering if Dracula had wanted her to notice this. Quickly forgetting it, she looked at more than the bath, scouring the room. There was a pile of soft red towels next to the edge of the tub, no doubt left by Dracula for her use. A large basin was carved out in the granite, a golden faucet with rubies embedded in it ready to pour water into the sink. Anna walked quietly over to the sink, deciding only to wash her face. Who knew if Dracula was still watching her; those invisible eyes in the darkness grazing over her thin frame. As she let the cool water run, Anna tried to relax, let the confusing thoughts of the vampire lord in her mind slip away. However, she could not entirely forget. Why did she care so much over this sudden change? Perhaps because it made him seem somehow more…human. Or willing to be, rather.

After the cold water had cleansed her face and neck, Anna retreated to the corner of the bath farthest from the closed window, deepest in shadow. Not that that would matter. She reached up behind her neck and swiftly untied the knot holding her halter straps in place. Once those were undone, Anna froze. She realized, with dread settling in the pit of her stomach, that she could not remove the rest of her gown by herself. The corset was laced so tight, and she could not reach behind her to get a hold of the strings. She panicked for a moment. _So this was why Dracula had suddenly seemed so smug, _she thought angrily. Was this his plan, to get her more intimate with him by force? But as Anna fumed, she soon saw no other way to get out of her dress, so she dejectedly walked to the high arched door. When she swung it open, she immediately saw the wickedly clever count standing a few feet from her, a tormented look upon his stunning face. Maybe he hadn't planned this; it sure didn't appear he had now.

Dracula looked up, surprised and then utterly delighted, a demonic glint in his charcoal eyes. They had ceased to entrance her beyond reason, but still gave her a hard time when she tried to force herself to look somewhere else. A smirk tugged at the perfect lips as he saw her standing before him, looking entirely helpless, straps dangling loosely next to her breasts.

"May I assist you?" he asked politely, close to laughter.

"Umm…I am having a bit of difficulty removing my dress. I think I will just sleep in it tonight." She blushed scarlet, her eyes observing the carpet and face turned down in a scowl.

"No need, my dear," he said in that velvet tone. She looked up at him in shock; he didn't honestly expect her to let _him _undress her, rip the satin briskly away from her pale, bare skin, did he? With one movement, he snapped his long fingers together, the sound echoing off the walls. The next second, a fiery, red-headed vampire was kneeling beside him. "Stand up, my sweet Aleera." With that, she swiftly raised herself from the ground and stood next to Dracula, staring longingly into his piercing black eyes with her own dark ones. A waterfall of red, wavy hair framed her wildly eager face, which fell and turned slightly vicious as those same dark eyes landed on Anna. She placed her deathly white hands on her curved hips, causing her pink, revealing outfit to sway as she turned. Her eyes turned a dangerous shade of pink and her fangs started to creep out as her vampiric side took over.

"Relax, darling," her master drawled, quite obviously not with the same affection he poured into his words for Anna. "Anna dear is in need of your assistance, and I would greatly appreciate it if you obliged." He nodded towards Anna's laced corset, then gave Aleera a menacing look. She obediently stepped to Anna's side, taking her arm and tugging her roughly into the bathroom. Dracula let a smile swim across his face and crossed his arms over his chest.

The door slammed shut and Aleera released Anna at once, sneering in her direction. She stalked closer to Anna, the dangerous pink flashing in her glistening eyes again. In one hundredth of a second, she was behind Anna, pulling tightly at the lacing of her gown, suffocating her. "Anna, dear," she hissed, imitating her master. "How good it is to see you again." She yanked on the strings, causing Anna to whimper. "Now, I don't feel much like talking to you, so let me make this as short and painless for both of us as possible." She started to undo the corset back, drawing each string closer to her as she undid them, making Anna gasp for breath. "I will not tolerate you taking my master from me. I am finally his only bride, his only love. You will not take away the one pleasure I have in this life of pure Hell. Yes, that is what being a vampire is like, each day opening fresh, immortal wounds. Scarring you until you yearn for the one thing you cannot have- death. Do you sincerely want to put yourself through that pain? Even if you can survive the excruciating torture, you will have survived to be but one of Dracula's infamous whores. Do you genuinely want to ruin the strong life you have so perfectly molded for yourself, for a man that will just cause you to suffer?" she finished passionately, greedy for a torn, defeated response.

Anna was trembling, upset and infuriated, ignoring the sharp pain the half undone corset was causing to shoot throughout her torso. "I do _not _desire your master, or the new life he plans to bestow upon me," she whispered, partially terrified, partially livid.

Anna could feel the breath on the back of her neck, glacial like her master's, yet it seemed more dangerous than seductive in this circumstance. One of Aleera's spidery, white fingers pulled Anna's brown hair back, grazing her neck and leaving an icy trail on the exposed flesh. She leaned in towards Anna, still pressed tightly behind her, the vampire's individually sweet smell invading her senses. It was nowhere near as close to intoxicating as Dracula's, but still left Anna feeling dazedly pleasant. She felt Aleera's mouth open next to her ear, sensing the sharp fangs so close to her neck. "If you say so, Anna," she whispered maliciously into her ear, pulling at the last lace of the corset. Anna felt the cold vanish at the same time as the loose gown dropped from her body, ending in a pool of black and gold satin at her feet. She spun around to look behind her, only to discover she was alone.

Anna just stood there, an arctic chill running all over her bare body despite the absence of any creatures of the night. Aleera's words had scared her, but not just because of the potential threat if Anna should end up with the bride's beloved Count Dracula. It was truly the underlying message that alarmed her most, causing her hands to shake violently and a gush of tears to well up in her dark, frozen eyes. She has listened to Aleera in detail, taking in every word, every meaning. The way she spoke about him, felt about him was nothing compared to how Anna was feeling right now, as though she would simply melt on the spot and never leave the depths of this disorienting world. What Aleera had said to her, those last few words…

Anna mutely pulled on her gorgeous nightgown, the black silk hugging her curves loosely just as she had predicted, tickling her lightly. The black lace trim at the bottom fell down mid thigh, and the matching trim at the top skimmed her breasts, which where swelling above the low neckline. Anna didn't even look at herself; soundlessly and lost in thought she threw the exquisite robe over the gown, sheets of silk cascading down her back, stroking the floor. She didn't bother to close it like she would have before, but simply marched out of the bath, slightly insane at the rush of her new, bewildering feelings. She had no idea what had come over her after Aleera's speech, but it was hungry for more.

Dracula, who seemed to have not moved an inch from his previous position, raised his head, black hair shining in the slight candlelight which illuminated his snow-white face as well. His empty eyes alighted with something the moment he saw her- lust? Most likely. Grandeur? Possible. She couldn't quite recognize the glint in his mesmerizing onyx irises. She had momentarily pulled him out of his stupor once more, but for how long? She had bewitched him back to life earlier, and yet has had no lasting results. What was wrong with him tonight? Usually he would have been on top of Anna by now, ravishing her with dangerously seductive kisses over her pale skin, arms wrapped tightly around her slender body. He looked as though he could have done just that, but refrained. Instead he simply smiled, a less than dead emotion on his face, and reached out his arm once more.

"An arm to escort a beautiful woman back to her chambers?" he murmured. Anna, no hesitation this time, snaked her arm around his, stepping closer to him than he had pulled her. He looked at her quizzically, yet elated, a new emotion in his dead, still handsome face.

She decided to try something. Perhaps this zombie state he had transferred to throughout the day was a cause of more than one thing. It could be Anna's constant refusals to his unasked desires. It could also be his recent interest in being human again, which he had yet to admit to, but Anna knew to exist. Maybe she could destroy this state by curing his ailments with what he wanted most. Anna did not prefer any Dracula to accompany her at all, but if she had to choose, she supposed the viciously evil, gentlemanly kind, triumphantly determined was better than watching the most powerful man she knew- _Damn! There I go again. He is not a man at all… _she thought- creature, rather, deteriorate before her eyes, losing all emotion. Anna knew she was the only one who could do this, give him what was needed to break the emptiness. So she was willing to relinquish a little- she stressed a _little_- to give the vampire lord what was needed to bring him back to life. Figuratively, of course, as close to living as an undead vampire can get.

As Anna walked next to the Count, her curvy, silk-bearing side rubbed against his jacket. His well-known smirk snuck onto his face, pale lips drawn together in victory. He knew he had her now, as did Anna. Perhaps now, that she was starting to give a little, she had gone in fact too far. Maybe these few small, meaningless gestures had gotten her into more trouble than she had bargained for. It was not too late to regret, but it was much too late to go back. She was under his spell once again. Taking advantage of her closeness, Dracula wound a cold hand around her waist, tugging on the silk and causing her robe to open a bit more. He circled his long, icy fingertips on her hip, tickling her pleasurably. His irresistible scent clung to him, and Anna inhaled deeply, savoring the aroma. The smell of blood was faint now, almost undetectable, so she just smelled his sweet scent.

"Well, my dear, you do look quite stunning in that little outfit, but I fear I am not the only one dazzled." Dracula stopped dead in his tracks and swiveled to face Anna, releasing her waist only to relocate that hand to her face, tilting her chin up so she could see his demonic angel's face once more. "Am I right?" he purred, swooping his face closer to hers in a fraction of a second, his lust-filled, entrancing eyes peering into hers.

How could he always read her mind? She was too enticed by his touch, his gaze, to answer. He smiled in satisfaction then, his lips curling an inch away from hers. Oh, how she longed for them to mold themselves against hers, the ice of his cooling the fire of hers, setting off a pleasuring chain reaction inside their bodies. She could almost see him moving seductively towards her rosy, parted lips at a pace so slow, most human eyes would not be able to catch it. Then he pulled away, when he was mere centimeters from her mouth.

_Crap, _she thought._ Wait, why should I even care? This is all an act from me to get the real Dracula back._

Anna was startled when she turned and saw that they were back in front of his room already. The trip had felt like no more than a few seconds. She sighed, shutting the front of her robe and tying it in a bow. At least she had gotten the old, more tolerable Dracula back. But was that really a good thing? Regardless of the thoughts swimming in her head, Anna had to act normal, no, better than normal. She turned in front of the door to face him, and whispered softly to the smiling, gorgeous Count.

"Good night, Vladislaus."

She spun around quickly, not wanting to be captured by those hypnotic coal-colored eyes that were now alight with a passionate fire, not just lust but caring, too. Strange. There might even be respect blazing in their endless depths. Anna reached out her hand to open the double doors, but was caught around the back by solid, glacial arms. He twisted her around to face him and dragged her as close to his body as possible. She shuddered softly, out of the cold more than fear, which was practically non-existent at the moment. That seemed a little odd to he, seeing as she was trapped in the arms of a vampire, but she was relaxed, just frozen. The ice of his body penetrated hers even more through the thin nightgown and robe. Dracula buried his face into her hair, breathing deeply. As he did so, his own soft raven hair laid across her face. She enjoyed every second as she took in that intoxicating aroma.

"Oh!" Anna gasped as Dracula's smooth, freezing tongue slid sensually over the skin where her neck and shoulder met. It was like exactly out of her fantasy. He then placed one feather-like kiss upon her neck, where he had first kissed her in the forest. "Thank you," he breathed into her ear quietly. His voice sounded strange, though, almost strained. When he pulled his body away from hers, she could see his beautiful face was contorted into one of pain. It was worse than the lonely image Anna had sent this morning at the dining room table, worse than the empty stare he had moments ago. He bowed low to the ground, then turned quickly, still half-lowered, and set off down the hall at a quick pace. "Good night, my dear," he called down to her, and then disappeared around the bend of the stone wall, leaving her standing there speechless.

Moments later Anna was tucked into the large, master bed, where Count Dracula must have lain numerous times in the exact same spot, although probably not at night, if he even slept at all. The candles were all blown out, the slight silvery glow from the moon the only small source of light in the dark room. Anna was so confused now, more than ever before. She tossed and turned, unable to sleep despite the perfect comfort she felt in between the velvet and silk blankets. She was thinking of Dracula, looking more pained than ever before after she had shown such great compassion, and finally acceptance of some of the kindness and desire he was sharing. But there was another thing bothering her, her personally. It was that mystifying, terrifying talk in the bath with Aleera, and her hidden message to her, like she knew something about her Dracula, even Anna herself didn't know yet. Aleera had asked if she was willing to give up her life to her master, but the truth was, she already had, even though she had not wanted to. She had done this the first time she had shown this lone evil creature, _man _behind the monstrously beautiful mask, some compassion this morning. She had begged him to take her when her hands stopped his from pulling away, and he had greatly accepted. There was no way to escape now.

The other thing Aleera had conveyed that tortured Anna was the feelings she had hidden from herself and everyone around her, locked away in her guarded heart. Those feelings welled up, and were renewed in the bathroom when Aleera had proved they were real, despite all the times Anna had denied them to Dracula and herself. These feelings were true, and Anna had to admit that, finally, or she could never go on. She wouldn't dare admit them out loud; she was much too stubborn for that. But she had to find where Dracula was right now, had to tell him in some way, and she thought she knew how.

Anna sat up from the bed quickly and leaped down silently. Dragging her robe on as she slipped out the door. She was not sure if she was ready for this. Of course she was not ready for this, but what choice did she have? The growing heat in her center was screaming for attention, to quench its thirst. But that was all that needed to be satisfied. Anna did not love the vampire; he was cruel, proud, and murderous. She would not marry him. She would absolutely not become a vampire. But she would admit one thing, through actions rather than words. The only way she knew how to do it, with the only actions she could think of to prove it.

Anna knew deep in her troubled heart that she did not love him. She also knew that what she _did _feel was definitely not right, but she didn't care anymore, now that it had been realized. Her displays of compassion, kindness, and lust earlier in the night were no act. She had been lying to herself this entire time.

Anna _did _desire Count Dracula. And she knew she was about to be welcomed into his lust with open, ice-cold arms.


	8. My Heartbeat

**Ok my dearies here it is, chapter eight!...finally. Sorry it took so long, but it's nice and steamy so I think I deserve a few extra days, don't you? Haha so please enjoy this, read and PLEASE review!! I really do like it when you do! Oh and p.s., the entire time I was writing this chapter I was envisioning Davey Havok, the lead singer of AFI, instead of Dracula. He is sort of my obsession and true love lmao so i dont know if that means anything. He does sometimes have a rather vampirish look about him. Well, if you dont know what he looks like gasp- hes gorgeous there are two links on my profile to two pictures of him. My profile image is also of him. Enjoy! Lotsa love, Karen**

_I really do want this, _Anna thought as she crept down the dark stone hallway, peering into a room whenever she passed one. She shook her head, exhausted from all the crazed things running through her blurred mind. _I must not think of anything, _she decided. _If I do start thinking, everything will get out of control and I will start to question, understand less than I do now. _Anna couldn't bear to think what she would feel, what remorse, what confusion would take over if she didn't go through with this. So she couldn't bear to think, period.

The soft silk of her open robe dragged across the carpet, barely creating a whisper in the night. The black blended into the dark shadows of the passageway, the candles plastered to the stone walls extinguished. Who knew what could have been lurking in the gloom, prowling where the small rays of moonlight shining through the gothic windows could not reach. At this point Anna did not care. She had one goal, and that was to get to wherever Dracula was and satisfy both their needs. She did not care about the freezing draft from nowhere in particular that was now raising goose bumps across the exposed skin, causing her jaw to tremble under the chattering of her teeth. She didn't notice the small shadowy movements in her peripheral vision, which normally would have caused her to stop in defense, ready to fight. She just kept going, floating over the plushy carpet as she searched endlessly for Dracula. She reached the end of the hallway, no sign of the mysterious vampire lord. She descended into the empty dining room, and crossed through the shadows over to the wooden door Anna had seen Dracula disappear through this morning, after she had cured him temporarily of his empty state. She did not hesitate to push open the door and rush over the threshold, robe billowing out behind her like a vampire's cape. The door had led her to a stairway, one that took up the entire hallway. The stairs were pressed in between the stone walls, curving as they went up. Anna assumed that this must be the other tower, and started up the steps, not a thought in her head except the desire to find Dracula.

Once Anna had wound herself up hundreds of steps, reaching what must have been the top of the tower, she stopped. A long stretch of hallway lay in front of her, this one straight rather than the curving one in the other tower. A single window, stained glass rather than plain, covered almost the entire wall at the end of the hall. It depicted two monsters, one clearly a vampire in its Hellbeast form, fangs protruding sharply and gorgeous wings spread wide. Even in its demon shape, the vampire had a certain graceful beauty to it. He had dark hair covering part of his snarling face, falling into his mesmerizing black eyes. Anna was used to the feeling as she fell victim to the vampire's stare, even in artwork. The other monster seemed to have the upper hand in the situation, howling in victory over the fallen vampire, its claws ripping towards its opponent. The dark image, settled in blood red glass, made Anna think. Was this some kind of warning to Dracula, to vampires? What was that other creature? It was so animalistic, so rugged and canine. Anna then realized this had drawn her from her mission, which she could not forget. All that thinking would have the effect Anna feared, keeping her away from the task at hand. She could not stop now.

She started down the short hallway, her pace more cautioned now, and looked into the first three doorways as they passed. When she reached the middle of the hallway, she turned toward a door that was slightly ajar and took a deep breath. She knew this was it, that he was here. She could smell his irresistible aroma even from outside the room. She could see nothing through the crack in the door except for a plain armchair and a vanity table, a mirror perched on top. Anna gathered all the courage she had in her, which thankfully was enough, and pushed the door open all the way.

Anna looked around the room, seeing what she needed the most first. A master bed lay pushed to the far right wall, taking up a large amount of the relatively small stone room. Its silver bed linens caught the faint light of the moon, illuminating the bed slightly. The bed was a four-poster, with wooden poles holding a silky sheet over the top of the bed, forming a ceiling and causing the sides to droop down at the corners of the bed, partially shielding it. Anna looked across the rest of the room. It was mostly bare of furniture other than the ones she already saw, but for a bedside drawer and dark fireplace on the other wall. The wall opposite of the door had a glass doorway, leading out onto a stone balcony. Anna could see someone dressed in all black outside, and it was apparent to her who it was. She stepped lightly across the rest of the room, towards the balcony. Once she was outside, she deeply regretted not closing her robe. The chilled winter air pierced her like knives, stabbing every inch of her body that was not covered by the thin black nightgown. She shivered furiously, but did not shut her robe. She couldn't now, not when she was so close to finally getting what she wanted.

Anna stared at the creature, crouching on the edge of the stone wall of the balcony. He was huddled over, the black coattails of his jacket swaying in the breeze. His white hands gripped the edge of the wall, ensuring he was as far out as he could go without falling. His ponytail of soft raven hair blew in the wind, sending his intoxicating scent drifting her way. Anna, curious of this odd behavior, came up behind him boldly, only inches away. She tentatively reached out a pale hand, moving slowly towards his shoulder. As her hand got closer, the colder she became. The combined chill of the winter night and the vampire lord was becoming too much for her to handle. She had just grazed the shoulder of his jacket with her fingertips when he spun sharply, almost knocking her over. She quickly regained balance and took in the sight.

She was horrified. Dracula's face was still as beauteous as ever, snow white skin lit up in the moonlight and hair strands blowing gently across his features. But something was different. His eyes were completely empty, much like they had been earlier, only taken to a drastic new degree. There was no life in those onyx irises, no hypnotizing force. His eyes had always been cold, but now they looked frozen. Hard ice sitting in the whites of his eyes, reflecting no knowledge, no hidden secrets. His expression was one of pure emotional pain, something Anna could not bear to look at. He looked almost bloodthirsty. His appearance was primitive, cruel. She had never seen him look so much like a…a vampire.

Anna's heart skipped a beat when she saw him, partially out of fear for what he had become, fear for what was about to happen, and partially out of just the sight of him so close to her. His acute senses must have registered that, because he instinctively looked down to her chest, where her heart lay nestled. Upon seeing Anna's chest, breasts heaving from the intense cold and Anna's complex feelings, something changed. A flicker of life came across the dead face one more. Was that a hint of lust she saw in his frozen, hungry eyes? He reluctantly removed his stare from her chest and fixed it instead upon her face. That lust only increased. Anna had decided not to speak much; there was no need for words in this type of situation. She stepped a bit closer to Dracula, the top of her robe sliding down and revealing bare shoulders. Dracula froze, only his eyes moving as they raked over her body, taking in the curves under the black silk nightgown. His black eyes had thankfully gained some life back, but were filled to the core with every ounce of lust a single being could harness.

Dracula cleared his throat delicately and raised himself slightly from his crouched position, sliding off the wall and instead leaning against it casually, yet still alert. It appeared that all traces of the empty vampire were gone again, a new light restored in him. "My dear, may I ask what you are doing all the way out here this late? It is not safe to wander through the castle at night-"

He broke off suddenly as Anna daringly placed a thin finger over his icy, slightly parted lips. The look he wore on his face now was something she had only seen in him one other time, one so rare on this man's face. Surprise. He was utterly shocked at the gesture, not angry, but not sure of himself. He tensed against the wall and stared deep into Anna's eyes, making this much more difficult for her. As the emotion had returned to Dracula's eyes, so had their entrancing abilities. Despite the fact that they were riddled with shock, they drew her in nonetheless, wanting the blackness to mix with the brown of her own eyes. She lowered her hand slowly, brushing the pale bottom lip as she did so. She looked him straight in the eye and prepared for what was to come.

"I _do _desire you, Count Dracula," Anna whispered fiercely.

All hell broke loose after that.

Dracula's face contorted into a mixture of emotions in under one second. The surprise that was already etched into his face deepened, if that was even possible. That look rapidly changed into one of dawning comprehension, which then turned into the previous look of requited lust. Dracula's inhuman abilities took over at this point. He threw himself at her, gently yet impatiently. She stumbled back, but he shot his ice cold arms around her waist, gripping her tightly to him. He continued to slam her backwards into the caliginous room, rushing her towards the large bed. In a fraction of a second he had tossed her onto the soft mattress, prepared to spring, and then froze. He stared at Anna, realizing that she was fine with the roughness; she wanted it as bad as he did, but this was what he had been waiting for. Why not savor it?

The old Dracula had returned, Anna could tell. She was pleased with this; it was the old one she yearned to be with. He stood at the foot of the bed, eyeing the thin material hanging on Anna's small body. The robe had slipped down further still, sitting loosely around Anna's wrists and waist. One black lace strap of her nightgown was dangling off her shoulder seductively. Anna stared at the vampire who was slowly pacing at the edge of the bed, fearing and desiring whatever he had planned for her. He arched one gorgeously familiar black eyebrow and smiled, his pale lips drawing back to reveal his pointed teeth.

"Anna, love, what a delightful surprise. And I wasn't nearly expecting you to succumb to me so quickly. Please, tell me," he said in his velvet voice, lowering himself and inching up at the foot of the bed. "Does this mean you have accepted my proposal?" He crawled up the bed, over to where Anna was half-laying, propped upon her elbows. She could feel his cool breath on her feet, then ankles as he slowly drew himself closer to her. His onyx eyes tempted her to agree, but she knew better than that. True, she had fallen under his spell once more, but he could not change something she felt so passionately about.

"The Hell it does…" Anna had tried to make herself sound powerful, growl it out, but instead it came out in a breathy whisper, like the wind had been knocked out of her. He was now at her knees, which he kissed lightly, one at a time. She trembled under his touch.

"I should have expected so much, but one can hope. Anna, is there any way I can convince you otherwise," he murmured, still sliding himself up closer to her. He was now on top of her, his body almost pressed to her. His chin grazed over her stomach seductively as he lowered himself more, climbing to her face. She had now been forced to lie down beneath him, dropping from her elbows as he moved towards her chest. As he continued over her, his loose hairs slid over the tops of her breasts, tickling her lightly. "Isn't there something I could do," he breathed, completely on top of her now, moving his lips over her throat as he spoke. This aroused her more than anything else, and she let a soft moan escape her. He grinned into her throat, pleased at her reaction. His perfect smell had invaded her senses again, taking over her and making it too difficult for any thought. She just had to take what came her way. "Isn't there some way," he whispered, almost to low to hear, as he pressed cold kisses up her jaw line, "I could persuade you?" he finished, staring at her full in the face, taking in her beauty as she did the same.

Anna struggled to regain thought, come up with an answer to that. She knew she absolutely did not want that fate, but she had no other answer than the one that escaped her lips.

"Well, then… _Persuade _me, Count."

No more words were spoken, just a triumphant, lustful look from the wickedly stunning vampire on top of her before he, finally, pushed his lips to hers.

It was the best feeling Anna had ever experienced. His icy lips cooled her heated ones, but did not chill the blazing wet fire in her center, threatening to drip down her exposed thighs. His mouth tasted sweet, almost like she could finally put a flavor to his delicious scent. His lips fit perfectly against hers, the creature in him kissing passionately, but still with his gentlemanly grace and tenderness. His mouth was smooth, his lips almost as silky as his voice, as they moved against hers. He parted his lips and sucked on her bottom one, then softly nibbled on it, careful not to draw blood with his fangs. This instilled more pleasure in Anna, who was moaning quietly into his mouth. She felt Dracula slide his tongue out of his open mouth, trace her lips delicately, seeking permission. She gladly accepted, she too opening her mouth to the kiss. His tongue was just as smooth as his lips, and just as cold as his hands, which were grazing over her flushed face, tangling themselves in her brown curls. She moved her own hands up to his jacket, trying with a shaky grip to undo the many buttons. Seeing her struggle, Dracula smirked into their passionate kiss and brushed her hands away roughly, ripping off his jacket, and then moving to her robe. He tore it out from under her, leaving her only in her revealing nightgown. Taking advantage of this, Dracula caressed her soft skin, starting at her neck, sliding lower over her collarbone, breasts, ribs, stomach, hips, leaving an artic chill over his hand's path. When his hand had reached down to her thighs, he traced his cold fingers over them, tickling her smooth legs. Still placing hungry kisses on her mouth, Dracula slid his hand back up a fraction, to the bottom of her silk nightgown, lifting the lace an inch with the tip of his finger. Anna grew more excited, shoving her hips forward a little, pleading him. She thought she heard hints of a chuckle, and then Dracula wound his hand up under the black material, rubbing her inner thighs as he went. He could feel the burning wetness, so he decided to relieve some of her desire. He reached his destination, sliding one freezing finger into her and curving it gently. Anna arched her back, moaning loudly now. Dracula slipped his other hand under her back as she lifted it, drawing her closer to him as they molded together, kissing furiously. He removed his hand from under her nightgown, and wrapped that arm too around her, hugging her as close as possible to him. Anna could feel his muscles rippling through his thin shirt, pushing against her breasts. She reached a hand to the line of buttons, lightly pushing him away so she could start at the bottom. She worked her way up, revealing more moonlight skin as she progressed. She undid the last button, gently sliding his shirt over his shoulders and off his body. She sighed in awe as she gazed upon his sculpted chest, so devastatingly white against the black of the surrounding room. Dracula ripped the silver covers off the bed, throwing them over the two. Anna realized he must have been trying to protect her; he was glacial to the touch, and his skin against her body would be like lying out in the snow. Anna put a hand to his chest, running her fingers over the muscles. She stopped when she reached where his heart should be. She felt nothing under the icy skin. There was no heartbeat, and although she had expected this, she froze nonetheless, and raised her eyes to the Count's. _So he was empty,_ she thought as she stared into those pitch black eyes, hand resting on a silent chest. He gazed back at her, smiling slightly, a sorrowful look in his hypnotic eyes. Mourning over what was missing. Anna could almost feel her own heart break as she saw that sad expression. She lowered her head to his chest, placing soft kisses over him. Dracula closed his eyes and tilted his head back, in pure bliss. She showered him with sweet kisses, her warm tongue flicking out of her mouth over his cold flesh as she kissed his stomach, chest, the neck. She hovered on his neck, kissing him passionately and even daring to bite him softly. Dracula moaned and opened his eyes, which were flashing seductively at Anna. He pushed her down and started to kiss her own neck, licking over her collarbone and up to her jawbone. He nibbled on her neck, sure to not pierce her with his fangs just yet. He moved his hand to her breasts and stopped immediately. She stared at him, and understanding took over. His cool hand was settled over her heart, which was beating rapidly. He stared longingly at where his hand sat, and then did something unexpected. He rested his head on Anna's chest, ear pressed against her so he could listen to her heartbeat. His raven hair covered Anna's chest, his scent clinging to it. She breathed in deeply to inhale it, Dracula's head rising with her lungs. Overcome by the intoxicating smell, Anna sat up, causing Dracula to move back. She threw her hands at him, one entwining around his neck, one tangling into his silky hair. She rushed her lips to his, him thankfully catching them between his own. The amazing feeling came back as they kissed, their lips dancing together, fire and ice. The butterflies Anna had had in her stomach exploded into so much more, an indescribable feeling. She lowered her hands to his black leather belt, clasping her fingers on the buckle. He brushed her hands off it delicately, still kissing her. She expected him to do it for her, and when no action responded to hers, she grabbed for the buckle again, more forcefully this time. Dracula, instead of shaking her off, wrapped his icy hands around her wrists roughly, pinning her arms above her head. With his weight on top of hers, she could not move. She was trapped under a vampire.

"Not yet," his velvety voice whispered in her ear, which he was now kissing, biting it playfully. "Say you love me first, my pet," he cooed.

"No," Anna breathed, squirming under him, but with no real desire to escape his grasp. His cold chest and lips were cooling her heated skin as he kissed the hollow under her ear.

"Say it," he replied devilishly as he continued to pleasure her, making it impossible to say no.

"Bite me," she said viciously, not amused, but still yearning for his touch.

"With pleasure," Dracula whispered, placing a trail of ice kisses down to Anna's neck, feeling the blood pulse excitedly beneath her flesh.

"That's not what I meant!" Anna gasped, trying to get up, turn away, whatever she could do to stop him. "I don't want that."

He merely chuckled in her ear, and moved back to her mouth. "Whatever you say, my dear," he breathed into her mouth, his cold lips moving against hers as he spoke, echoing Aleera. Anna hesitated, then kissed him back hungrily.

She was using up all her strength; she was exhausted, and Dracula could tell. He slipped away from her embrace, reaching for his jacket. She whined softly, wanting him to come back. He grinned in response, cocking a perfectly arched eyebrow. "Miss me already?" he asked silkily. He draped his large jacket around Anna's shivering shoulders, pushing her back down onto the pillows. He lowered himself next to her, dragging the blanket with him, laying the silver material over both of them. He slid closer to her, wrapping her in a gentle embrace, still cold but pleasantly, being slightly warmer under his jacket. She sighed, not knowing what to think of what had just taken place. For now, she decided on just being happy it did happen, not letting her mind stray to the consequences. Dracula buried his face into her chocolate curls, placing one last chilled kiss on the back of her neck. A shiver went down her spine, a combination of ecstasy and his frosty breath. She started to get tired, lulled to sleep by his quiet breathing. And with that she fell into the dark abyss of sleep, in the icy arms of a beautiful vampire. The arms of an angel of Hell.


	9. My Fire and Ice

**Ok my dears sorry this took so long but school has been pure hell and such. I have finally put up my latest lovely chapter, though, the longest yet and I am so proud. If you have any questions, comments, or ideas for future chapters, please please please(!) feel free to say so in a review, or you can email me, just ask for my email address in a review.** **Enjoy! Lotsa love, Karen**

"Anna Valerious, you have been condemned to death."

The words echoed inside Anna's head, wrapping themselves around her brain and squeezing as hard as they could, cutting off all thought. A similar sensation happened in her chest, lungs crushing beneath her ribs as the ropes snaked tighter; suffocation was inevitable. The cords wound painfully over her chest and midriff, binding her to the wooden post behind her, scratching her back. Her shirt tore open slightly against the rough wood, blood trickling slowly down her cut back. Anna knew it was too late, that she was trapped like a nightingale in a cage. She had tried to struggle against the ropes that bound her atop the pile of wood, and had tried to fight the townspeople that put her there. They had once been her family, fellow citizens against the sadistic, vile race of the living dead, looking to her for guidance on the destruction of wickedly real myths and the preservation of a peaceful unity. Now they looked at her as though they thought she too was what they had once been fighting, flames alight in their eyes as they stared at her in pure disgust. _But am I really any better than a vampire? _she contemplated solemnly. She bowed her head, chocolate curls covering her twisted face as she stared at the mound beneath her.

"You have dishonored your people and your town in the most atrocious way possible," the town governor spat at Anna, his back to her as he addressed the crowd as well. "You have associated yourself with the monsters we have worked so hard to keep from our village, the creatures of the night, and none other than the Dark Vampire Lord himself!" he rallied, exciting the townspeople more. They drew into a tighter circle around Anna, who was helplessly tied to the wooden pole.

"Now, just because you are the little princess of the town, the daughter of the Great Valerious," the governor sneered sarcastically, "does not mean you will get special treatment for your treason. If anything, you should get a more severe punishment."

The governor stared Anna full in the face, before turning to the town once more and smiling malevolently. "The guilty shall be burned at the stake until her sins dissolve into a pile of ashes." A wave of consent resonated through the mass, some angrily advancing toward Anna, others grinning as they lit their own pieces of wood aflame.

Anna's stomach churned; burning at the stake? This could not be real, no one could agree to a more inhuman fate. But it was real- she could feel the light winter breeze toss her curls against her pale cheeks, the wood rip open her back. She was now in a total panic; she thrashed violently, trying in vain to shake herself free of her ropes. They rubbed her skin raw, but Anna continued to fight, gasps escaping from her trembling lips as she did anything she could to get away from the certain merciless pain. She could smell the burning wood as the townspeople came closer with their torches. That scent would soon be replaced with the smell of her burning flesh, she thought sickeningly. How she yearned for the sweet, familiar aroma that clung to Dracula, even mixed with the faint trace of blood. But that is what had gotten her into this doom.

The governor came the closest, standing just an inch away from the wood pile, torch gripped loosely in hand. His free hand came up, cupping Anna's face roughly and lifting her chin so he could gaze into her fearful brown irises. The dancing flames cast an eerie glow on his aged face, carving his wrinkles deeper into a spiteful expression. His dry lips curled up again, revealing not the perfect white fangs she had grown accustomed to, but crooked stained teeth. The absinthe on his breath blew into her face as he spoke to her, a hushed voice growing louder from the alcohol, echoing through the square for the entire town to hear.

"Tell me, Anna," he growled. "How was it? How was the time with your beloved vampire? No need to tell me what you two did. No need to tell the town, Anna, everyone knows! It's no mystery to us," he sniggered, raising his voice still. "Why don't you enlighten us, hmm? Tell us all about how it was to screw around with that son of a bitch. Did you like being another one of his precious whores? Did you feel like you were better than us when he chose you over any other woman in this town? It doesn't make you special; it just proves that you're nothing more than a pathetic slut daughter of a man who couldn't even hold his position at the head of this town, as King of the Gypsies, without getting slaughtered by your vampire. How does that feel, Anna?" he screamed into her face, ignoring the tears flowing down her white cheeks, the ragged breaths coming from her. "Does it make you regret abandoning your town to have the icy, filthy hands of a monster ravaging you for your own sick pleasure? You're nothing but a miserable excuse for a human being who can't even hunt the Father of the Dead without fucking him. You deserve to burn in Hell just as he did, but unlike him, you don't get the chance to walk on this earth, leaving sin in your wake. Anna Valerious, the time has come for you to face the fact that you have failed; you have disgraced your family by succumbing to the sins of Count Dracula rather than destroying him. Your family will never escape purgatory, caught at the gates of Heaven, and you will forever writhe in the fires of Hell, without your forbidden love."

"I do not love him," she whispered, pleading with her eyes.

Anna felt a sharp pain in her heart as the governor just raised his eyebrows, cold eyes glistening as he whispered so only she could hear, "Oh, don't you?"

Anna watched in horror as the torch slid from his hand, the fire twirling leisurely, alluringly opposite her before it hit the wood at her feet, the scorching flames raging up to her delicate skin.

The pain was like nothing she had ever experienced before; it was unendurable. The horrific torture was too much for her to handle. The burning fire encased her entire body, blistering her white skin. It was worse than a thousand knives running through her body, worse than the bite of a vampire. Anna thrashed violently, screeching madly, trying to free herself from the inferno, but it was to no avail. The flames licked up her body, boiling every inch of her flesh. She was held tight by the ropes that bound her to this Hell. They were so unyielding, so constricting, so… _cold._ _Why would these ropes feel like ice, so chilling to the bone? _Anna thought. However, she did not have time to ponder this now. Her head was swimming, couldn't focus on anything except the brutal heat and pain the fire brought to her. Sweat didn't have time to form on her face before it evaporated; blisters erupted on her burnt skin, which was slowly starting to turn to ashes and fall to the ground. The smell was so revolting; she would never forget the scent of her own body smoldering.

She was dying, she knew it. She honestly didn't care at this point; she just wanted it all to be over. She wished she could relax, stop the screams that were echoing from her mouth, calm the lashing and struggling, and at least look strong as she departed this life. She couldn't do it, though. She knew it would not ease the pain, but she was weak. That was the miserable truth. She could never be as strong as her ancestors, never strong enough to be the bride of Count Dracula. She still could not understand why he had chosen her to love. She obviously was too fragile for him; she couldn't even handle death by fire for him. It didn't matter, though. She did not need to prove she was strong to him, or to the town. There was no point anymore; she was going to burn in this fire forever, and strength would help no one here. Even after her spirit had escaped her charred body, it would continue to be tortured by the blazes of Hell.

The searing fire raged on, but a more wicked form of anguish took place. The icy ropes, the only things that had kept her optimistic about the fire engulfing her, were slipping away. Anna should have been relieved; without the ropes, she could free herself from the flames. But she felt worse without the glacial touch of the cords around her. Now no part of her body remained free of burns, and yet she was still frozen to the spot once the cold ropes had glided over her heated skin and disappeared. Anna felt emptier than ever with their icy absence, and shrieked louder above the blaze as her skin burned off her body and ashes blew around her. She could not take it, and, before falling limp in the fire, lost forever in the turmoil and flames of an abhorrent Hell, she let out one last cry-

"Save me, Vladislaus!"

Anna clutched her chest, heart beating rapidly beneath her fingers as she tried to focus her vision. She stared around her, chocolate eyes darting fearfully in every direction. She took in the beautiful room from the night before, felt the silver silk under her bare legs, the large black jacket wrapped over her trembling frame. She tried to regain her breath, return to normal- or as close to normal as she could get in this upside-down land of horror and myth. _It was only a dream, _she told herself silently, cursing herself for falling for the illusion of her nightmare_. No one has caught you; you are safe in the Castle with…_

Where was Dracula? He should be next to her, arms wrapped around her in a gentle, inhuman embrace. She turned next to her, and the space was empty, barely an indent in the bed where he had lain. Anna felt a sort of crashing pain inside her, like her heart had collapsed into her stomach. He left her. How could he have left her, after all that they had been through the previous night? Didn't that sweet bliss mean anything to him? She had seen the look of compassion in his dark eyes, hidden behind the unquenchable lust. That could not have disappeared, not so suddenly. He could not have tired of her so soon, especially when she herself had not yet had enough of him. True, she did not love him. She still had a burning desire for him, though, and an unexplainable attraction to him; curiosity and intrigue left her drawn to the angelic demon. Love for him would have broken her upon realizing he was gone. She instead simply sat there, staring at her hands, snowy in complexion and free from burn marks.

"Save you?"

A soft, silky voice floated to Anna from across the room. The perfection of that voice made Anna feel safe, free from the terror of her nightmare. She exhaled quietly; delight rushing back and warming her cold body as she became aware that her strangely empathetic vampire had not abandoned her. She reached out a shaky hand and grasped the silver curtains cascading down the sides of the bed, pulling them back gently. She couldn't help but smile as she saw Dracula leaning against the stone wall casually, staring at her with those hypnotic eyes, looking truly concerned for her. Her smile faltered as she noticed his pale, spidery hand resting on the brass doorknob.

Still leaning on the wall, he removed his hand, then came to Anna with inhuman speed, across the room in one moment and then directly in front of her in one hundredth of a second. His ethereally beautiful face was inches from hers, his icy hand caressing her delicately from temple to jaw, leaving a cold, tingling trail.

"Save you from what, my dear?" he murmured, his pale lips barely opening as he spoke. His tone was a mix of apprehension- obviously due to the look of shock on Anna's face- and seduction. He entranced her yet again with his onyx eyes, pulling her closer to his gorgeous face until she halted at his mouth. She accepted as his glacial lips came to her own, kissing gently to assuage her pain. He removed his mouth slowly and Anna's head swirled, left in a state of pleasure and confusion. She would probably never get used to Dracula's kisses; they always left her dazed and breathless.

"The…fire," Anna replied, still confused with butterflies now bulleting through her abdomen. She shook her head, trying to clear it from the sweet ecstasy of his kiss. She gained more consciousness, realizing why she was still upset. "…You were…leaving," she whispered, reaching for the hand resting on her face. Anna now comprehended that the cold ropes in her dream were Dracula's arms around her, and they disappeared as he left her.

His long fingers caught her hand and squeezed it tightly. "What fire, pet? There is never any fire, any warmth in Castle Dracula except for the soft glow of the candles. Here it's December everyday," he sighed softly, almost reluctantly. From the ice that was his hand around hers, Anna could tell he missed the sweet sensation of heat. Maybe that was why he clung so tightly to her body every moment he could.

"Never mind. It was nothing but a dream," Anna said quickly. She didn't know why, exactly, but she was disinclined to telling Dracula of her nightmare. Perhaps it was because in it she was at the point of death, and it was his fault. _Not really, _Anna thought dejectedly. _You got yourself involved in this situation; it was not just me under the beautiful demon's spell._ But Dracula would blame himself, she knew it. He would laugh it off coldly, the vampire in him shielding the man who would hate himself for even the idea, the dream of putting his love in danger, in the face of Hell.

"Well, then that must not be all that troubles you. What haunts my sweet behind those striking brown eyes?" Dracula cooed, running his lips over the snow-white hand he had in his own.

"You were leaving," Anna said, more forcefully this time. Dracula's mouth twitched down, his face somehow remaining stunning as guilt and secrecy spread across it. "Not that I care, really," she lied quickly. She did not want him to get the idea that she had more than a physical desire and slight compassion for him, nor did she wish to have him brought back to that lonely, empty state she had cured him of. "I just thought that you would perhaps fancy staying with me, after last night and such. Well, I guess I thought you would want to… I don't know…"

"Figure out what, _happened_, and why?" he inquired, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Well, yes," Anna replied, a red blush creeping over her face.

"I believe I do know exactly what happened last night, as I am sure you do as well?" he said, that devilishly seductive look still etched on his features.

"Yes, yes, I know what we _did_, but…"

"Or rather, what more we could have done if you have simply told me your true feelings of love for me, my dear," he muttered, smirking.

"I do not love you, as I have told you countless times. I merely looked for a way to satisfy my…"

"Desires?" Dracula was now choking back a laugh, in obvious delight of the position he held. He had all the power, the ability to twist her feelings into the lie that she loved him, and she could have gone all the way with him if she had admitted that.

"I think I am fully capable of getting you to sleep with me without saying a single word of all your love nonsense," Anna shot at him, yanking her hand from his grip and crossing her arms over her chest.

He looked at her, his face split between confusion and utter amusement. "Is that a challenge?" His famous jet-black eyebrow arched perfectly, smirk still in place. "Yes, well, I suppose we shall have to see about that. But for now, I presume we must say that the actions of last night were a way to simply please both our needs… and, if you agree…those actions were not a mistake?"

Anna looked deep into the coal-colored irises of the vampire in front of her, studying the imploring look in his face. She knew that this question was serious, and much more than it appeared.

"No, I suppose it was not a mistake," Anna said. Dracula's face relaxed, and he seemed content with her answer. She truly did believe that what they had done was the right thing. It wasn't an acceptance to his proposal or anything, nor was it a sign that she loved him. She desired him the way he did her, and nothing more. Except a bit of understanding and sympathy, perhaps.

"Excellent, my pet," Dracula growled playfully, jumping on the bed at her swiftly. His intoxicating scent swirled around her as he caught her in his arms. She could not resist the perfection of that aroma which clouded her thoughts and caused her more desire. He was on top of her in a second, trapping her underneath him with her arms pinned at her sides. She squirmed beneath him, wanting this while at the same time wanting answers. Dracula, thinking she was playing along with him, tickled her nose with soft kisses, which soon turned into passionate ones at her mouth. Anna relented, so caught in the moment she wanted to remain in. But she knew she couldn't.

"You were leaving," Anna repeated again, mumbling into the kiss. She turned her head to the side, parting her heated lips from his. "…Why?"

Dracula stopped immediately, raising himself slightly from her. She turned her head back to face him, and regretted it at once.

His face was contorted yet again into that same look of pain he had worn the night before as he had rushed from Anna after she had flirted with him mercilessly on the trip back from the bath. The exquisiteness of his features shined through, as they always did, but that mask of emotional pain was too hard for her to see. His pale lips were in a grimace, parted a little so his glistening fangs were visible. His eyes, those perfect, tempting onyx eyes, were shining with torment and remorse. Anna, now pained herself to see Dracula so broken yet again, reached her hand up to his moonlight skin and brushed the back of it over his face. His own hand shot at hers, catching it tightly and closing the vice-grip he had on her. Fingers throbbing, she winced slightly, and he loosened his grasp on her, instead intertwining his fingers with hers. He looked confused and hurt, and Anna could not imagine why. Dracula's lips parted slowly then, and he breathed out something she couldn't believe.

"Why do you even care?"

"Wh-what?" Anna stuttered, bewildered. His face was a cover of hurt, defeat, and genuine interest.

"Why does it bother you so much that I am leaving?"

Anna was thoroughly confused, and then realization dawned on her. She had never fully shown that she cared enough of Dracula to want to know how he felt. She had always brushed off his unfathomable, and, as she had thought at first, false, feelings of love and craving for her. Up to this point she had simply ignored him, or even told him off harshly for talking such nonsense. But now she understood that all that negativity she had shown him had in fact collected up inside him. She had thought that Count Dracula, the strong, smug, disregarding vampire, would just laugh away her reluctance and insolence. But she should have apprehended sooner that the real man inside the Count would not forget those moments of complete ignorance for his true feelings. How many times had she told him she did not love nor want anything to do with him? She had only _desired _him. She knew that Dracula claimed he loved her, but she thought it not to be true love, but merely a need for her to be his bride, his trophy, and to say he had gotten what he wanted.

She could see now that she had thought wrong. It was true love he had hidden deep inside for her, masked by his act of an unforgiving, murderous monster. _I have been so cruel to him, proving only to be someone that wanted a one-night stand, _Anna thought desolately. _God, he must hate me now._

"My dear Count," Anna whispered, true sorrow and remorse in her voice. "How could you think, even for a moment, that I honestly would not care if you left me?" She raised herself closer to him, as he was still holding her beneath him. She pressed her body close to his, the cold chilling her skin. Dracula, seeing that she was hoping to be held by him, wrapped his arms tightly around Anna, laying back down next to her and hugging her to him. Anna nestled in closer to his chest; she could feel the glacial touch of his body through the half-open silk black shirt. "I sincerely want you to know that I _do _think about you and your feelings; almost every moment of the day my mind is trying to decipher you, Vladislaus. And I still don't quite understand you. Or myself, for that matter. I do not know why I cling to you so desperately, or why I am so intrigued by your presence. However, I do know that I feel such compassion towards you that I must care for you in some way. I believe we have a strange emotional connection; I feel what you feel, and my heart had been breaking as I saw yours had been. And my heart healed when I saw the light return to your eyes."

"I have no beating heart to break," Dracula interrupted softly.

"That is a lie. While your heart may not beat any longer, there is still a heart to fill with emotion, ache, and joy, as I have seen with you.

"What I am simply trying to say, Dracula, is that the proof in why I care that you were leaving is that as I saw your hand upon the doorknob, I could do nothing more than feel like it was something I did. And you can't imagine how much pain that caused me. To think I had driven you away… I shudder to think how I would feel if you really had left me, truly left me, completely gone from my life. I do know that part of my life would forever be missing. So now that I have answered your question of why I cared that you were leaving, answer me this: Just because I do not love you does not mean I wish to be away from you. Can't you live with that?"

As Anna finished, Dracula did not look taken aback by the knowledge that she honestly cared deeply for him and wanted to remain with him. He did not look delighted, and he did not look saddened. The expression on his gorgeous face was unreadable. He lowered his lips closer to Anna's and brushed them against her delicately. His wide onyx eyes gazed into hers as he murmured these words.

"You ask me if I can live with the fact that you wish to be with me even though you do not love me as I do you. Well, my dear… How can I accept that if I have not been living for centuries?"

With that final note, Dracula passionately kissed Anna and raised himself above her. The ecstatic feeling returned as his icy lips molded to her fiery ones, his aroma in her lungs and his soft raven hair tickling her face. All the signs of the old Dracula, the one she desired most to be with, had come back, and Anna knew that he was truly happy with her answers, with her feelings. Although he expressed that he still could not deal with the fact that she wanted him and cared for his feelings despite not loving him, he was overjoyed that she had accepted him into her life indefinitely. She finally realized she wanted him, the desire giving in to more of a kind of devotion. She _would _care, very much so, if he left her. She was aware of this now more than ever.

Count Dracula was sincerely determined in showing Anna that he was pleased with her understanding of his feelings, as well as a better understanding of her own. Anna squirmed beneath him in pleasure as he showed her more passion than the previous night. His mouth swept down her jaw line, down to the hollow behind her ear where he had first placed his cold lips upon their reunion in the forest. Sparks went off inside her stomach, excited by what she knew was coming. It was coming, she knew it. Dracula was prepared to reward her for her compassion towards him. No sooner had she thought that then the hideously seductive Vampire Lord was slipping a thin finger below the strap of her nightgown, ripping the material in one flick of his hand. He did the same to the other side, and the satiny black fabric slid down her body. For the first time ever, Anna lay completely exposed to Dracula. And she did not mind in the least. He froze for a moment, simply staring at her, a hungry look of lust in his eyes apparent, as well as a deeper look, as though he was admiring a piece of artwork.

"So beautiful…." he whispered, running his icy hand down her body. She shivered slightly, and he lifted the silver blanket over both of them. Heat rushed back to Anna, despite the fact that Dracula had shred his shirt from his body, bare, sculpted snowy chest pressing against her breasts. He proceeded to kiss her down every inch of her body, from her forehead, over her lips, past her neck and the curve between her breasts, over her stomach and hips. He slowly returned to her face, skimming his lips over her skin as he came up. He looked her straight in the eye, a silent exchange passing from him to her. Anna reached a trembling hand to his belt buckle; the cold metal felt strange and dangerous beneath her fingers. She slowly removed his belt, and undid the single button fastening his black pants. She tilted her head back and waited patiently. The sweet, irresistible scent coming off of the vampire gave her strength. She soon felt the icy chill of his bare legs on either side of her, and looked back at him. Dracula raised himself above her, and paused for a second. Anna lay there, admiring his unreal, inhuman beauty. The way his pale skin glowed in the faint darkness of twilight. The way his silky raven-colored hair cascaded to his shoulders in a ponytail, those few famous strands settling perfectly to frame his face. The way those black, entrancing eyes looked before he was about to say something. But he didn't say anything. He merely gazed into Anna's face, silently asking her if she was ready for this. She gave one resolute, quiet nod, and then he slid into her gently. The feeling was more than words can describe. Anna could think of only one way to express it: perfection. Anna held tightly to the vampire as they continued to physically show the devoutness they held for each other.

"Hmm…." Anna sighed in victory as she lay beside the Count, exhausted but pleased by the actions from moments before. She turned on her side to him and pulled herself up so she could see his face.

Dracula gazed at her, suspicious as well as amused. "'Hmmm' what, my dear?" That gentleman-like air still remained alive in him.

"Well, as you noted earlier, it was a challenge for me to get you to sleep with me without my saying I love you. I believe I just won." Anna smiled smugly and lay back down, her eyes fluttering shut. However, her peace was soon disrupted as Dracula grabbed her forcefully, pinning her beneath him once again. He placed a single kiss on Anna lips and smiled mischievously.

"Well, if you don't mind me correcting you, my dear, I think it was I that won. 'It was a challenge for me to get you to sleep with me without my saying I love you,'" he quoted, a triumphant and alluring glint in his eyes. "I _do_ believe you just said you loved me now, am I right?"

Anna gaped at him in amazement. How he always managed to always twist her words, to twist her feelings was truly astonishing. "Well, even still, you know that was not what I meant. And I do believe that you still owe me an explanation. Why were you leaving?"

Dracula sighed, all traces of playfulness gone. "Are you sure you want to know? It is quite a long story, and I'm afraid it does not have a happy ending. I also fear that after it you may….no longer feel the willingness you had earlier to remain with me and understand my feelings."

Anna stared at him apprehensively. She was not sure if she was ready for this story or not, but she was sure of one thing. "My sweet Count, nothing would make me desire an escape from you. I wish to stay here with you until the day I die." And she meant it. She could not bear it if this curiously mysterious creature of the night was not in her life.

Dracula nodded, a grin creeping across his stunning face. "Well, love, we'll just have to wait and see about that whole 'day you die' idea." He flashed his white fangs at Anna, and she gulped, realizing yet again the danger of living with the Father of the Undead, who wished to make her his vampire bride. "I may not be ready to give you up by then."


	10. My Story

**Sorry sorry and a thousand and one more sorries! I know that I haven't update din months, but I have been super busy with school, as well as my music/guitar. I write songs too so don't yell I have been writing, just not this ;) just a short recap in case you forgot in the last chapter anna basically admitted that she wanted to stay with dracula forever, he was leaving and is about to tell anna the story about why he's leaving, and they just had sex for the first time! (yay). So enjoy, and please rate! Lotsa love, Karen**

Anna's brown curls lay on Dracula's shoulder as she curled up next to him under the silky silver sheets. Her keen chocolate eyes gazed at him curiously; what was this story without a happy ending that causes him so much pain to relive? He sat up beside her, leaning casually against the iron bed frame. Even relaxed the vampire lord looked like a perfect god. He let out a reluctant sigh, causing the famous black strands of hair loose from his ponytail to dance across his snow-white face. He then turned to look at her, smiling slightly and taking her chin in one of his hands. The icy touch chilled Anna's skin and was so alluring it practically made her heart stop. Her cheeks flooded with rosy color and Dracula's smile widened, seeing that his mere touch could make her stop breathing. He removed his hand, crossed his arms delicately, and began his story.

"Now, my dear, I first want to let you know that I did enjoy my time… spent with you," he said, raising a familiar black eyebrow and smirking. "And I do want to remain with you for all of eternity, love," he continued charmingly, leaning down and placing a kiss on her lips. "But due to certain circumstances it was- and still is- necessary for me to leave. You slept most of the night away, and its dark cover is drifting. It is now twilight; the gray sky will not stay for long, and the sun will push through the clouds and illuminate this room. So you see, I would stay here with you, my pet, but I would ultimately be burned by the light of the sun and be killed. And I pray that I am not too hopeful when I say that you wouldn't want that?" Dracula asked, smiling slightly.

"Of course I don't want you to die," Anna replied, placing her hand on his.

"I am delighted to hear that, my dear," he continued, chuckling. "Anyway, I would simply close the curtains and shut out the light of day, but in case you had not already noticed, the window in this room, unlike the rest of the castle, has no curtains. This brings me to my very depressing story… the woman that once inhibited this room ripped them down." Dracula peered silently at Anna, registering the look of confusion on her face, along with a trace of sadness. "Please, let me explain. It was three years ago, much after I had already visited you as a child. And let me promise you, I had not yet forgotten you. I still thought of that encounter almost every day, and how for some reason I could not stop picturing you in my head. However, I was not stressing the matter yet. I had larger problems to deal with at the moment. Van Helsing was in the midst of hunting me; he had been pursuing me for at least a year now. But now I learned a new piece of information. A perfect way for me to hit Van Helsing where it hurt, and defeat him once and for all. Despite me being the Father of the Undead, the hunter did pose quite a threat to me. So I was delighted to learn that the man so consumed in his work and seemingly not possible of devotion to anything else had _fallen in love! _I couldn't believe it. It was exactly what I needed, the perfect trap to finally hold the upper hand over the monster slayer. I figured that I could capture the woman, and Van Helsing would come to rescue her immediately. I could get Van Helsing to surrender by threatening to hurt her, or even take her as my bride. It would destroy his spirit and make him weak. He would either succumb to everything in order to save her or attack in a blind fit of rage, making him an easy opponent. It was a win-win situation. Or so I thought… But first I needed to figure out who this woman was."

"Fatima…" Anna interrupted quietly.

"Van Helsing told you of her," Dracula murmured. "That was just before I found you, am I correct?"

Anna nodded slowly. She knew Dracula must know exactly what had happened in the forest that day before he took her. How she had finally decided to give in to her possible love for Van Helsing when he shattered her heart, saying that this mission was simply to get avenge Fatima and rescue her if she was still alive. He had said he was still in love with Fatima, and then confused Anna even more by saying that he loved her too, but didn't want her. There was still an ache in her heart from that memory, even though she had moved on to give in to her desires for the Count.

"I should kill that bastard right now for hurting you like that," Dracula muttered, obviously thinking about the same fight. "Don't worry, love, you deserve better than the likes of that man. Yes, well…anyway. So I needed to find Fatima and capture. It was not hard. I stole her away in the dead of night when she was looking for food away from Van Helsing. I took her to the castle, and saw her for the first time. I will admit, she was beautiful, but nothing in comparison to you," he said, making Anna blush again. "However, other than nice features, I cannot see how Van Helsing could have loved her. She was not smart as I had heard. She was quite naïve, really. She did not understand that the world was not perfect. She couldn't comprehend that she could be taken away by someone more powerful from true love. After a few days I no longer pondered the idea of taking Fatima as my bride. Truth be told, I actually started to go back to your home, infrequently at first and then more as time progressed, and just watch you as you slept. You were more gorgeous than any other woman I had seen before, and you had grown up quite a bit since I had last visited you that time as a child. For some reason I desired you, loved you then as I do now, falling in love with the heiress of the family destined to murder me."

Dracula paused here, looking back at Anna, his onyx eyes piercing her soul as he let her truly take in how much he did love her. She looked down, feeling tears well up in her own eyes. She did not know if they were tears of sadness, remembering the night she first met him after he had killed her mother, or if they were ones of compassion at his words of love.

"Back to the story," Dracula said abruptly. "My plans were quickly spiraling downward. Fatima refused to have anything to do with me. Despite me realizing I did not love her, I still acted as a gentleman, or as courteous as I could behave in the situation at hand. I asked her to dine with me, and she refused. I offered her gifts, and she would not accept them. She would not look at me, not speak to me. She stayed in her room- this room- all day and night. She tried not eating, but I could not have her die like that. It would ruin the plan. So I had Marishka, who was still alive to be my bride then, deliver her food each day. However, it seemed that Marishka had started to get awful close with Fatima, spending more time locked up in that room with her than with me. She was so distant…perhaps she really didn't love and respect her master after all. But Fatima wouldn't take even her in all the way. All she wanted was her 'beloved' Van Helsing to come rescue her," he sneered sarcastically. "She ripped the curtains down from the door window, ensuring that I could not sneak in to see her during the day. All she did was sit in that room, sobbing uncontrollably at first. She was causing herself physical pain as well as emotional, using a broken shard of mirror to cut her arms up and down. It was her escape from the misery in her heart while she waited to make her real escape with the man she loved. But the days turned to weeks, and weeks to months, and he never came to save her."

"But he couldn't have!" Anna interrupted desperately. "No one knows how to get to Castle Dracula, no one's ever found it! It wasn't his fault, I'm sure he tried; he would have come to get her if he could have," she said, hoping it was true. She knew she was trying to defend Van Helsing in her heart; she had already lost so much respect for him, and she cold not bear to lose any more by knowing that he did not try to rescue the woman he loves from his enemy. She also knew that part of her still hoped that he was looking for her, too. She did not want to know that he had given up on her.

"My dear, I know you still care for Van Helsing in some way," Dracula said slowly. Anna could hear a hint of sorrow in his voice. She hoped she didn't make it seems like she was still in love with him and wished he would come take her away. "But the truth is," Dracula continued, "that he did in fact know where to find her. Van Helsing is the only other person in the world who knows where this castle is located. He has been here before, over a century ago. He pushed the information to the back of his head, not wanting to think about the deathly halls of the mansion of his vampire lord enemy. He wanted to forget, but he couldn't. Terrible things had happened while he was here, things I wish to never trouble your mind with. But he still knew. He knew he had the information to save his 'love', and he still did not."

Anna was crushed, knowing that Van Helsing could come rescue her from an evil vampire's clutches, and chose not to. Although she was definitely not as disappointed as she would have thought. She took this as a sign that she in fact cared more about remaining with Dracula than being taken away by her friend. Anna looked at him quietly and leaned forward to give him a kiss. Her soft lips brushed his glacial ones and she once again felt sparks in the pit of her stomach, sending warmth throughout the rest of her body as her mouth stayed chilled.

Dracula stroked her cheek with the back of his hand and went on. "Well, Fatima did not know any of this, and so she waited, still thinking that her love was going to burst into the castle once he discovered it and fight me to defend her. She cried every day for months. Those hysterical tears turned to desperate, quiet tears, until she had no more tears to shed, only blood- which I did not drink, by the way," he said, winking. Anna grinned slightly, but was actually sort of unsettled by the humor. "Fatima sat in silence for the remainder of her stay in the castle, staring out the window and waited for Van Helsing. If I even approached her she would either ignore me completely or shriek threats and insanities at me, about how she would be rescued and I would forever burn in the flames of Hell for this. Now, I know that I am not the most patient creature in the world, but I do think that I have much tolerance for a bloodthirsty vampire. However, I could no longer deal with her impertinences. I had not laid a hand on her violently, and she had lost control of all sense. She was even refusing to eat now, and Marishka suggested that we turn her into a vampire. But we couldn't, you see. I needed her alive for this plan to work, but it was slowly weakening anyway. I needed to be able to threaten Van Helsing with her death, or even with turning her, while she was still alive to fight for. But it was becoming clear that he was not coming to get her anytime soon. Fatima was getting uncontrollable, constantly screaming that she would not be turned into a vampire, she would not be condemned to Hell unless she had to in the arms of her lover. I had trouble not killing her right then and there. Then one day I snapped, and I was more dangerous than I ever was before. Fatima was in a particularly challenging, defiant mood, and screamed at me as she never had before. She told me, and I will never forget it, that I 'knew nothing of love.' How dare she accuse me of that? She did not know me at all, she had not taken the time to discover the true me, like you have, Anna. True, I am regarded as the vilest race on the earth, the least compassionate and with the most bloodlust. Most people would make the mistake of thinking that I am not capable of love. But that destroys me to think that. I can love, that is one of the only things I have left that attaches me in some way to being human!" Dracula cried out passionately. This really did matter to him, Anna thought. She then realized in a new way how very important she must be to him if he admits to loving her. She pulled herself closer to Dracula, and he turned to face her, startled. Calming down, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and his irresistible scent swirled around her. "So at that outburst, I said to her that just because I had never truly loved her does not mean that love couldn't exist without a heart. At that point I no longer cared what happened to her, my brides could kill the bitch if they wished. No plan to finally kill Van Helsing was worth this. I had been personally offended, and I don't think anyone who is not a vampire could understand the pain I had just gone through. Yes, I, Count Dracula, Vampire Lord, admit to being hurt. Now after hearing all this, the horrible story, my true evil upon ripping true love apart and wishing Fatima dead, and my own personal weakness in the fact that I felt pain when it was believed that I could not, I will not blame you if you wish to leave, my dear. I couldn't possibly blame you for wanting to leave, now that you realize the true evil and manipulation that runs through my non-beating heart. I will not stop you if you choose to go."

Anna stared at Dracula for a long time, watching for basic human emotions that one would usually express from letting go of a loved one and a story like this. However, no tears escaped from those coal-colored irises, no begging for her to stay, nothing. He just sat there silent, looking forward with just a trace of pain in his eyes. Anna thought that any other person would leave at this point, would be frightened of this monster who had committed so much evil when it came to love and now showed no emotion whatsoever. But she was obviously different; she had chosen to stay here with a vampire who lusted after her and no doubt her blood. So why would she change her mind now?

"Vladislaus…" Anna murmured, tracing Dracula's still lips with the tips of her fingers. She ran her fingertips across his mouth, down his chin, and stopped and she slid them over his quiet chest. She rested her head, as she had done before, over where his heart should be beating. "Do you think I am honestly willing to give you up just because for once you showed more human emotion than I have ever seen from you?"

Dracula peered down his chest at her, a quizzical look in his eye. He cocked his eyebrow, not playfully like she was used to, but in serious confusion. "Human emotion? My love, I was inhuman and evil."

"No, you were pained and troubled, sad and insulted, crushed and confused. All feelings humans get, feelings I get. You have no idea how glad I am that you decided to share this with me. Now I know why you have seemed so distraught lately. You must have been thinking about this story a lot, am I right? That is why I found you in here."

"Yes, you are right, Anna. I just can't help but think that you will want to leave me just like Fatima did. One cannot help but notice the similarities in the situations. I stole both of you from Van Helsing when you truly cared about him, I held you here at first against your will. I just don't want it to end the same way."

"You are forgetting something very important, my Count, something that differs Fatima's story and my own. Fatima did not want to be here at all, did not want anything to do with you. But I _do _want to stay here with you, Vladislaus, just as I told you last night. I care about you and would not be able to bear it if I did not have you to keep me company." Anna smiled, snaking her arms around his cold neck and pulling herself close to his face.

Dracula's stoic face broke into a relaxed, almost mischievous smile, and kissed her passionately. His tongue wound its way into her mouth, causing Anna's stomach to explode in excitement. He pulled her easily with inhuman strength onto his lap and growled playfully. He was actually, completely and truly happy for the first time she had seen him. He was not like a vampire at all, just like a young man in love with a girl who was playing hard to get but still saying all the right things to him. Anna still did not love him, but would not leave him for anything in the world. But one unknown fact still bothered her.

"Vladislaus?" Anna asked suddenly.

"Yes, my dear?" Dracula responded, his mouth nuzzled against her neck as he kissed it seductively. She was not worried in the least having Dracula at her throat. His lust for her was obviously more pronounced than for her blood.

"What happened to Fatima? Van Helsing didn't quite go into detail about that, but he seemed to think that there was a slight chance that she could be alive."

Dracula stopped kissing Anna, sighing softly into her neck and sending shivers up her spine from his icy breath. He looked up at her face, his cold nose skimming her collarbone as his face turned to hers.

"She was escorted to the dungeon by choice after her outburst, but none of the brides wanted to kill her, fearful that I may change my mind and punish them if they disposed of her and ruined our plans. After a few days, Fatima took care of the idea of death herself. She committed suicide, and Marishka took her away from the castle and buried her." He glanced at Anna quickly, but no real emotion registered on her face. She did not look surprised, or horrified. A bit sad, but that was to be expected.

"I sort of expected her to be dead," Anna said quietly. She hugged Dracula closer to her, sliding more under the silver blanket to keep warm. However, he had other things to deal with now. The soft gray of twilight was fading fast, and she knew the sun would soon show itself and light a path of destruction through the room. But she held tight to the vampire anyway, as if the closer she was to him the longer it would take for the sun to rise. But Dracula started to gently edge away from Anna, toward the side of the bed.

"My pet, I must go. The sun shall soon be rising, and I take it you still do not wish me to die?" he said jokingly. "Besides, I have another engagement I must attend to early." He was at the door in under a second; his inhuman speed was as incredible as ever. He placed his hand on the brass doorknob carefully, still gazing at Anna with admiration and a longing to stay in his eyes.

"Is the thing you must now take care of more important than me?" Anna questioned innocently. She lay on the bed, her russet curls pooling around her on the sheets. Her matching brown eyes stared at Dracula, showing the desire she had for him to stay with her a little bit longer. Anna was so comfortable with him now after just barely a day that she had absolutely no trouble with her own form of seducing him. She smiled slightly.

Dracula looked completely torn, both in desperate need to leave and excited for what may happen should he stay. Anna thought for a second that the eager man inside him had won, and that he would jump at the chance to spend more time with her. But her face fell as she saw him turn the doorknob slowly.

"My love, you must understand that I can't," he said softly, his dark eyes saddened at her broken expression.

Anna did not have to think. She knew in her mind that Dracula would stay in a heartbeat, or at least find a way to be with her, if she told him that she loved him. But as many times as he said he loved her, and that she too loved him and was just reluctant to admit it, she still knew that it was simply a compassionate, unexplainable desire. So she could not say that to him when she knew in her heart that it was untrue. But she saw that there could be one way to show him just how much she really wanted him to stay, and it would enable him to as well.

Silently, Anna picked up her satin, floor length black robe laying at the foot of the bed and walked over to the door window. She reached up and draped the top of the robe over the empty pole where the curtains used to sit. The robe swung over the window, covering the almost-sunlit room in a soft darkness. She turned quietly to look at Dracula, and sat back down on the bed.

Dracula looked slightly stunned for a moment. She had proven her commitment to him, creating any possible way for him to stay with her even though he was not forcing the shared time. She really did mean it when she said she wanted him to stay with her now, and was willing to do anything to make it happen. That must mean that she was sincere when she agreed to remaining with him here forever. He slowly let his hand drift from the doorknob, and for once moved at a human pace toward the love of his life, stopping only to remove his jacket and run his hand along Anna's delicate face as she placed a single kiss on the inside of his wrist. The newly-created night swallowed them as vampire and human gave into emotion once more.


End file.
